Snowman
by downsnow
Summary: Falling up' with a slight change of event. You'll like this one. NOT MINE
1. Chapter 1

**[ Crazy for Larry ]**

_***Falling up – after getting the 'tv remote'***_

When she returned from Renee's room, Ally crawled up in her bed, her eyes wide open. She felt that her bed was a little too big for her now. If only Larry was there….

"God! I feel so miserable without him," she thought with a sigh.

She tried to close her eyes, to get some sleep but a knock on the door surprised her. A knock on the door? What door? The sound wasn't coming from the front door. It was a metallic sound. She stood up and looked nervously around the room.

"What the… what the hell," she said out loud.

The knock was persistent and was coming from the freezer. With a trembling hand she opened the freezer's door.

She looked inside and almost fainted.

The snowman had disappeared. Instead, there was a Larry… soaking wet. He was wearing the snowman's outfit and the blue blinking nose. He talked to her:

"Hey Ally! I'm melting… Now, there are two possibilities. You join me in or you shut the door."

She shut the door and screamed.

* * *

"Larry. It's me. Are you there? If you are, please pick up the phone. I really need to talk to you…"

She waited on the line a few seconds and sighed. It was about 8 am in Detroit. Larry was supposed to be there.

"Larry, I really miss you. I just can't stand being away from you. Please, if you don't plan to come home soon… or ever, please tell me."

She waited again, like the answering machine could talk back.

* * *

Since there wasn't any decent therapist and she was feeling on the edge of cracking up, she went to John's office as soon as she arrived at Cage & Fish. John looked absorbed by his thoughts. He almost stepped when Ally entered. She closed the door behind her.

"John… I really, really need to talk to you right now!"

"Okay," he said calmly, inviting her to sit down. "Now, tell me what's wrong."

"Well, I think I'm going crazy… a… again. I've been having visions," she began with a nervous giggle. "I-I mean… I'm hallucinating Larry."

"Okay."

John nodded with a serious look. He was the only one who understood her. He remained silent, waiting for Ally to continue.

"I see Larry everywhere. In the… in the freezer and then, this morning… I-I was in the shower. I swear, I wasn't thinking about him at all. Well, maybe a little… but then he was there in the shower with me. He looked so real. He was naked…"

"Po… pokip…" John mumbled waving his hand to tell Ally to skip all the details.

Ally laughed nervously.

"He looked so real. I… I tried to kiss him," she said with her eyes rolling. "Well, you know… but I ended up kissing the towel."

She grimaced by the thought of it.

John nodded again and added: "But Larry wasn't there…"

"No…" she said, trying to fight back the tears.

"Well… Ally, it's okay to miss him. These past weeks you've been acting strong but I can see that you're hurt. If you keep fighting against your feelings the visions will come back. Remember the dancing baby…"

"You're saying I should let them be," she said.

She put her head on John's desk and started to cry.

"I feel foolish to miss him. I mean it's not like we're really, really apart. I mean, we are still together but… apart."

John put a comforting hand on Ally's head.

* * *

She agreed that letting herself feel nostalgic wouldn't hurt too much. She sat at the piano, started to play the intro of the song Larry wrote to her. She started to sing:

_Chances are you'll find me  
Somewhere on your road tonight_

But her voice broke. She left for the kitchen, grabbed Larry's favorite teacup. She looked down at it and sighed. She even took a look in the freezer. The snowman was still there with the same simple note:

_I'll be back._

"You better be back soon, Larry Paul," she said.

* * *

Two days later she found herself wandering in front of what used to be Larry's office. Since he was gone, she had been looking in the news papers every day, looking for the renting announcement. This morning it wasn't there anymore so she assumed that the office had been rented. She was curious to see if there was any chance that the new tenant was a therapist.

When she arrived next to the door, she stopped and listened. She could hear that someone was inside, unpacking. She opened the door and walked in silently. There was a man behind the boxes, she could see his shoulder but she had a feeling. She approached nervously and gasped.

The man raised his head and their eyes met. His were sparkling. She knew that smile.

"Lar… Larry?" she managed to say.

"Ally! How did you know I was back?"

She stepped back and turned towards the wall, she started to bang her head against it.

"This isn't real," she said, trying to convince herself. "He isn't real."

"Ally?"

She turned around. Larry's vision was still there. He lifted an eyebrow with an amused smile. She tried to catch her breath.

"Ally? Are you okay?"

She rubbed her eyes and thought: "Well, this isn't any better. So maybe there's really a man next to me and I hallucinate Larry. Just focus on the reality. Breathe, breathe!"

"Okay," she managed to say, "Please tell me who you are and the image will go away. Tell me your name before I run to kiss you and make a fool of myself…"

Larry laughed and slowly approached her. She closed her eyes, afraid of her imagination.

"I'm expecting you to kiss me but do I really have to tell you my name or you'll remember it by yourself?"

Then he touched her cheek tenderly and brushed her hair away like he used to do so many times. She opened her eyes. Larry was still there, just in front of her, his sweet brown eyes looking at her with pure adoration.

"Ally," he whispered.

"Larry… Are you… are you real?"

He laughed and kissed her hand.

"Well… I guess so."

She touched his face with her fingers. She could feel his skin, she could smell him. He was real.

"Larry!" she exclaimed.

She hugged him tightly, tears filling her eyes. Larry's hands slowly moved up and down her back. It felt so good to be in his arms again.

"Ally, I can't breathe…"

She kissed him, crying and laughing at the same time. He responded to her kisses with a groan.

"Oh, Larry. I didn't know you were coming back…"

"Oh! You didn't? Then how did you know I was here?" he asked, his eyes questioning her.

"I… I wanted to check if there was a new therapist who'd rent the place. So…"

"Did you check the door this time? If you want to talk. I'm still a good ear."

Both laughed and kissed back. He pulled her a little bit closer to him.

"I missed you," he said.

"Please don't ever leave me again," she murmured with tears in her voice.

"I won't."

Ally looked at him, concerned.

"When you say you won't… What do you mean? What about Sam?"

"Shhh…" he whispered, a finger on her lips. "I was hoping we could talk about it later."

"Mhmm…"

"I made a dinner reservation. I was planning to surprise you at your office but…"

She interrupted him with a kiss and said, in a sexy voice: "Mr. Larry. Do you seriously think that I would be in the mood for dinner?"

"No, I was just trying to be a gentleman," he said, raising his shoulders.

He kissed her ear. She shivered.

"And you're in the mood for…?" he asked with a sexy smile.

He took off his glasses. Both looked at the couch, simultaneously.

"Well, Larry," Ally said, playing with his tie, "Six weeks apart. It was… tough."

"How tough?"

"Shut up and kiss me, Larry."

He kissed her with a groan of pleasure and they rushed to the couch.

* * *

It was in the middle of the night when Ally woke up in Larry's arms. They had both fallen asleep on his office's couch after a passionate reunion. She was now wearing his shirt and he had only boxers on. She smiled, feeling his breath on her neck. She had somehow forgotten how good it felt to be in his arms. With precautions, she turned around, trying not the fall on the floor.

"Mhm… Hi," Larry mumbled, opening an eye.

"Hey… Sorry to wake you," she whispered, kissing his chin.

He smiled and opened the other eye. He pulled her a little bit closer to him and they stared into each other's eyes without saying anything. And then he kissed her gently.

"Mhmmm, Larry…"

"Mhm?"

"Larry, pinch me. I'm probably dreaming."

He pinched her bottom roughly with an amused smile.

"Aaaaahhhh!" she screamed, pushing his hand away. "Are you crazy?!"

"Ooopsie! This is not a dream, this is reality."

He kissed her again and she groaned.

"I just can't believe that you're back, Larry."

"I'm back. Did you seriously think that my snowman would lie to you?"

"Not a minute. He was there to remind me of your note. Just in my room."

"In your room?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… in the freezer," she admitted with a hesitant voice. "I felt less lonely looking at him. Larry… this snowman is a part of you."

He laughed and let a hand slide down to her thigh. He bit her shoulder.

"Mhmm… the coldest part of you," she added with a sexy voice.

A few seconds later, Larry was on top of her, showing her that he was everything but cold.

* * *

"Larry, maybe we should go. We're working tomorrow."

Both looked at the clock. It was 3 am. He kissed her and stood up, searching for his pants.

"Do you want to sleep at my place tonight?" she proposed, buttoning her blouse. "You still got your apartment, right?"

"Actually, no," he said, sitting next to her and looking at her with a serious look. "I was hoping that I could move in."

"Oh!" she managed to say. "Are… are you serious?"

He nodded, waiting for an answer.

For the first time in months, she remembered Brian, the ring he offered to her when he asked her to move in with him. Then, she remembered the first time she met Larry. He was telling her not to move in with Brian, who had no intention to marry her.

"Are you thinking about it?"

"Larry! Oh! I… I… Wow!"

She caught her breath and looked at him. He was playing nervously with his glasses.

"You can say no. I can sleep here."

"No," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, "My bed is much more comfortable than this couch. Anyway, I don't want to be without you tonight. A… about you moving in, I… I'll think about. Okay?"

Both finished getting dressed. Before closing the door, Larry pulled her to him and hugged her.

"I love you, Ally," he whispered.

She sighed and thought that this time it was different. Larry wasn't Brian. She loved Larry. He was incredible, funny, sexy…

But that moving in this was far away from her romantic visions.

* * *

"Renee… Should I agree about him moving in?"

"Ally," Renee said, offering her a coffee, "Do you want him to move in? I told you I don't mind about it. I like Larry."

Ally smiled. Larry had just left for work.

"I sort of want him to move in but it's just a little confusing. Remember when I first met him and thought he was a therapist?"

Renee rolled her eyes.

"You were already crazy about him."

Ally smiled again.

"Well, Larry understood perfectly Brian's intentions. If he had intentions… Maybe that's also his way of thinking."

"You're talking about marriage? Ally…"

Ally cleared her throat.

"What if he doesn't want to marry me? You know, he's been married, he knows the game. He's got a kid and probably a bunch of ex-girlfriends everywhere in the country all crying over him because he's the most wonderful man… Hmm, what if that moving in this is the only thing he could offer me. No proposing, no wedding cake or flowers, no white gown. No kids. What if…"

"Ally… Stop that 'What if' thing," Renee said calmly. "He's back from almost 2 months in Detroit. Give yourself time. You have to see the moving in thing as THE ultimate test to your relationship."

Ally gasped, almost spilling coffee on the table.

"Wh… what? We don't need any test, okay?" Ally replied harshly. "We really love each other!"

"Okay, okay. Calm down, Ally. I'm sure you'll both survive the everyday routine. Anyway… I'll be there, sneaking."

Ally hid a smile behind her hand.

"The everyday routine can't be that bad," she said with a whisper. "Doing the groceries with Larry, cleaning the house with Larry, cooking with Larry. Mhmm… taking showers every morning with Larry…"

Renee smiled widely and grabbed her coat.

"So that means you made your choice?"

"Are you seriously okay with it, Renee?" Ally asked with concern. "I'll be different. It won't be just you and me…"

"Don't worry about me. I don't know if I'll be around much… now that there's Jackson. Anyway, I prefer the idea of Larry moving in than you moving out," she said, kissing Ally on the cheek.

* * *

Ally was in the unisex, staring at her reflection in the mirror and daydreaming about Larry when Ling arrived. She stopped right in front of her, with ferocious eyes.

"You're thinking about sex, aren't you? Gross!"

"W… what?"

Ling rushed into the nearest stall as soon as Richard entered.

"Oh! Larry's back? Great! Please try to focus on the case even though your horny appetite is satisfied. Bygones!"

"I was not… I am not…"

Ally gasped with indignation and searched for an object to throw at Richard. But then she saw the look on his face.

"Ling. Please come out. Tell me what's wrong, Ling."

* * *

Discretely, Ally got out of the unisex and bumped into Larry. She screamed.

"Is it my new haircut? You don't like it? Or don't tell me… you thought I was a hallucination again?"

"Hey, Larry!" she exclaimed, interrupting him with a kiss. "I'm sorry; I just didn't see you coming. By the way, I love your haircut and everything about you."

He followed Ally to her office and they closed the door behind them. He took off his coat and sat down in front of her. Ally couldn't help but stare at him with a smile. If she wasn't working on an important case, she would run to him, kiss him again and…

"So?" Larry said with a smile.

"So? So what?"

"Have you thought about it?"

"Oh! Yeah, I thought about it and…"

"Before you say anything. I really have to tell you something," Larry said, playing nervously with his time. "Maybe your decision will change after hearing what I have to tell you."

Her heart started to bump rapidly in her chest. She suddenly felt very nervous. She could almost smell the worst.

"Last night you were asking me about what happened in Detroit…"

Ally felt weak. Detroit… that name sounded like hell. Detroit… city of the evil-ex Jamie.

"What happened?" she thought with panic. "Something happened? Oh my God! Not again! If he's telling me that he kissed that bitch again. I will… I will… die."

"Larry… oh! I… I don't think I want to hear that…"

She stood up and started to walk nervously back and forth.

"Ally… Ally, wait!" Larry said, wrapping his arms around her waist so she couldn't move. "I can see than you're upset. That's all my fault. I didn't use the right words. I'm probably too excited about it. I have good news, actually!"

She raised her head to look at him. He was smiling.

"Larry! Say it! No more suspense. I don't know what to think now…"

"Well, I never thought that it could happen. She really surprised me."

"Who?" Ally interrupted nervously.

"Jamie."

"Oh no!" she exclaimed.

"If you'd let me speak. Jamie agreed to move back to Boston. Do you believe it? It means, I'll be able to see Sam every day. You see… nothing to be afraid of!"

Ally sighed half relieved. Sam being closer to his dad was a wonderful thing but she wasn't sure about Jamie.

"I wanted to tell you about Sam before you'd give me an answer," Larry continued. "It involves that he'll probably spend some time during the weekends and…"

"I'm okay with you moving in, Larry," Ally said rapidly. "I'm okay with Sam coming to my place… to our place."

"You… you are? Ally, you're so sweet. I promise I'll behave. I'll be a good roommate."

"I expect you to be more than a roommate, Larry Paul," she whispered, giving him a sensuous kiss.

* * *

When Ally arrived at her apartment that night, she was surprised by Larry. He opened the front door immediately.

"I saw you coming," he said, kissing her.

"What's that smell?" she asked kissing him back.

"Well, I'm trying to cook some spaghetti sauce."

Ally got into the living room. A fire was burning in the fireplace, the radio was playing romantic music and the table was set. She took off her coat and followed Larry to the kitchen.

"Mhmm…" she murmured, hugging him. "I could get used to this. Where's Renee by the way?"

"She's out with Jackson and probably sleeping at his place. This means we can have a romantic evening."

"Interesting," Ally said with a sexy smile. "What's the program?"

"Okay, first the dinner. Nothing guaranteed but I did my best. After that some romantic songs I'll sing to you and finally a massage."

He kissed her again and ran a hand down her back.

"Oh… and a shower… together?" Ally proposed, pulling herself closer to him.

"And a shower," Larry agreed, kissing her with passion.

They did forget a little about the program. The spaghetti sauce was burning on the stove but they didn't care. They ended on the kitchen table between the plates and they made love there.

That moving in thing was a good idea.

* * *

Ally woke up late that morning. She looked at the alarm, sat up in her bed and yelled in panic: "Larry!"

He entered the room with a breakfast plate and orange juice. He was already dressed to go to work. He put the breakfast on the bed.

"Are you hungry, sweetie?"

She threw a pillow at him.

"Don't 'sweetie' me, Larry Paul! I'm late for work! And… you… you didn't wake me up, you… you!"

She stood up and shot him a killer look. He smiled and fixed his glasses. He thought she was cute when she was angry. She opened her drawers, searched for some clothes. She didn't find them and threw Larry's sweaters on the floor.

"Ally, you were sleeping like a baby, I just couldn't wake you… Besides, it's only 8 am. You're working at 9. You got plenty of time!"

"You are so damn wrong, Larry!"

He raised his shoulders with an interrogative look.

"Huh?"

"Because I'm a WOMAN! You see… WE, women need more than thirty minutes to prepare ourselves. You MEN go pee, shave your stupid faces and there you go! WE, WOMEN have to shave all of our body's hair, use saccharine shower gel, put cream on and some make-up too… to please you MEN!"

"Geez! Are you okay, Ally?"

She slammed the bathroom door and rushed into the shower. She had locked the door so Larry just stood there, his head leaning on it, just waiting for Ally to get out. When she opened the door a few minutes later, she had a towel wrapped around her but the first thing Larry noticed was her smile. Finally, she was smiling.

"I'm sorry, Larry… I'm about to have my period," she admitted with imploring eyes.

"Oh! Is that it?"

He laughed and kissed the top of her nose.

"Yeah…" she sighed. "These are the two worst days of the month."

"So you're not really mad at me? I was scared… you were just about to call me a pig again."

She wrapped her arms around his neck which almost made her towel fall on the floor. Larry caught the towel with a hand.

"How can I make you forgive me, Larry?"

"Well…"

Larry flashed a sexy smile at her. She shivered but it wasn't because she was cold. He touched her wet hair with his fingers and let the towel drop on the floor. Ally blushed when his eyes left hers to look a little lower. He took a step forward and started to kiss her forehead, her cheek and then her shoulder.

"Mhmm… Larry. I'm… I'm late for work…"

"Me too," he admitted just before his lips met hers.

* * *

Ally had the idea to make Sam's arrival the more welcoming possible. Even though, he was just supposed to visit her… their apartment a weekend she wanted him to feel home. She decided to take Larry shopping. It took him everything to follow her into boutiques and shopping malls. He was complaining all the while but deep down inside, he felt happy that Ally was thrilled about Sam moving to Boston.

After that crazy day, both laid on the couch, very exhausted. Larry let his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. He smile, thinking about all the ice cream waiting for Sam in the freezer and the toys they had bought for him. Larry was really looking forward to give Sam the magician kit he had found for him. He wanted to practice some tricks in front of Ally just to make sure that it was working and be reassured that Sam would be impressed by his daddy's performance.

"I'm happy," Ally said, breaking the silence.

"Oh! What about?" he joked.

Both laughed. Larry tightened his embrace.

"I have everything to be happy. A nice couch, a comfortable pajama and the man I love just beside me."

Larry smiled brightly and stared at her with his brown eyes sparkling.

"Do you know what I just thought?" he asked.

Ally raised her shoulders. Larry wasn't sharing his thoughts very often.

"I told you before, Larry. I have trouble reading you."

"I just thought… Something flashed into my head. I had this image of you with a baby… our baby. I mean, not now… but I don't know… someday, it would be nice."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, her heart missing a beat. "Are… are you serious?"

He nodded with a sweet smile.

"I know that we are just at the beginning of our relationship but it seems like…"

"You're considering having a ba… baby with me, Larry? Mmm… yes… someday?" Ally interrupted with a nervous giggle. "W…why?"

"Because I love you," he simply said.

"Oh!"

Ally started to cry. First, there was only a few tears falling down her cheeks but in the end she was sobbing in Larry's arms.

"Is it the PMS again?" he asked with a teasing tone.

"No… no," she managed to say, trying to catch her breath. "I'm just so… happy."

"Please… don't run to buy diapers right away! I really don't miss that part of having a baby…"

She laughed and hugged him tightly.

"Larry… I love you."

They kissed tenderly and Ally thought that she couldn't be happier.

* * *

Like all sweet dreams must come to an end, something happened a few days later. The kind of thing that you'll remember all your life and still make you feel the pain and remember all the details you would like to forget.

Ally was in Larry's office discussing about a case she was working on, when the phone rang. She sighed and watched Larry pick up the receiver with a pen in his hand. Probably a client…

"Larry Paul," he said distantly, smiling at Ally. "Can I help you?"

He dropped his pen on the desk and forced his eyebrows.

"Jamie? Is that you?"

Ally raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Not her again!" she thought. When her eyes got back to Larry, she saw that his face was pale. He seemed shocked. Ally felt that something bad had happened.

"W… what do you mean?" Larry asked with a trembling voice. "I don't…"

Ally could hear someone screaming on the line. Larry let the phone drop on his desk while his other hand went to his mouth. He could barely speak. Ally took the line.

"Hello?" she said timidly.

The screaming was even more powerful and then a calm voice asked:

"Larry? Are you there?"

Ally offered the phone to him but he was staring at the wall with empty eyes.

"Larry is just next to me. I'm… I'm his girlfriend… Ally."

The woman sighed.

"Hi Ally. I'm Kate… Jamie's sister. Is Larry okay?"

Ally looked down at him. Never had she seen him this way.

"He is, huh… no I don't think he is… Tell… tell me what happened."

She took Larry's hand in hers and tears started to fill her eyes. Somehow, she already knew.

"Sam… Sam got hit by a bus."

Ally squeezed Larry's fingers tightly and felt her legs weakening. Larry's eyes were cold.

"Oh my God!"

"He's in the intensive care right now. We don't know if he'll survive."

Jamie's cries became hysterical on the other line. For the first time, Ally felt for her.

"Listen," Kate said, "I really have to go. We're at Detroits general hospital. If Larry wants to come…"

She hung up and bursted into tears in Larry's arms. They remained silent before Larry started to speak slowly.

"I really have to go to Detroit. I have to see… him."

Ally nodded, trying to wipe away her tears. Larry stood up and took his suitcase, like he was going to court. He took off his glasses. There wasn't a single tear in his eyes.

"Larry…" Ally said taking his hand again.

When he finally looked at her it was like he was seeing through her.

"We have to go now," he said coldly.

* * *

It took them everything to get a flight to Detroit. Larry yelled that it was an emergency and he threatened the airport employees to sue the company. Ally had to ask to calm him down. The flight seemed endless. When they arrived in Detroit, they took a cab to the hospital.

"Damn it! Can you just move a little faster?" Larry asked the cab driver with an impatient tone.

A few minutes later they were in the hospital reception. Larry ran to the intensive care section without asking for permission. Ally followed him.

A woman, looking a little like Jamie, except for the hair, was waiting for them in the corridor.

"Hi Larry," she said with a polite smile.

"Where is he?" Larry asked, not caring about salutations.

"Larry… wait…" Kate began.

Jamie's sister looked down at the floor and played nervously with her fingers.

"Where is he?" Larry repeated again.

"Larry… Sam just passed away."

Ally felt like the floor was opening beneath her feet. She heard someone crying. It took her a few seconds to understand that she was the one sobbing.

"No… no," Larry managed to say, shaking his head. "That can't be…"

"He was severely injured."

"That can't be! I… I was just on my way to see him… Where's Jamie?"

Ally couldn't believe that Larry was showing no emotions.

"Larry. Please leave Jamie alone. This is not her fault. She's very shocked right now. The doctors had to give her some tranquilizers."

"I don't care about Jamie!" Larry said with an angry tone. "I want to see my son."

They made their way to the room where Sam was lying. Larry rushed to him and got down on his knees just next to the bed. Ally sat down and through her tears, she looked at the little boy. The kid who was so full on life, so spontaneous and intelligent was now gone. She could see the body on his little forehead. His body was covered but she could see that his legs were curving in a strange way. Life was so unfair.

"Hey buddy," Larry said softly.

He brushed away a lock of his son's blonde hair, kissed his forehead and took something out of his pocket.

"I brought something for you. Look at this…"

He had a ball in his hand.

"Let me do a little magic trick. I'm sure you'll like it…"

Ally couldn't say anything. She could just stare at Larry who was looking at his son with adoration. His lips started to tremble. He made the ball roll in his hand but it fell on the floor and rolled further.

"I lost it…" Larry said, his voice breaking. "I lost it…"

Then all the emotions came out.

He broke down, his hands covering his face.

Ally rushed to him and took him in her arms.

"It's okay, Larry. It's okay to cry."

He bursted into tears and held on to her as she started to rock him softly.

_Somewhere over the rainbow  
Way up high  
There's a land that I heard of  
Once in a lullaby_

_Somewhere over the rainbow  
Bluebirds fly  
Birds fly over the rainbow  
Why then, oh why can't I?_

* * *

The first thing Larry did when they got back to the apartment was to take a garbage bag and throw away the gifts they had bought for Sam. Ally watched him from a distance with her heart broken. A week had passed since the funeral. Larry had barely talked to her. Sometimes, he could sit and stare at the wall for hours. Ally didn't know what to do. In a way, she could imagine the pain he was going through. Sam's death made her remember the death of her own little sister. And of course, she couldn't help but think about Billy. "Why do young people have to die?" she was thinking. Ironically, her grand-parents were still alive. "There is no God!"

"I better work on the Roger's case," Larry said, looking for his suitcase.

He sat at the kitchen's table and began to search through his papers. Ally sat in front of him and took his hand.

"Larry… Maybe you should take a break…"

"Oh! What should I?" he asked with an impatient tone.

Larry pushed her hand away which made Ally feel like crying. She took a deep breath and forced herself to look at him. She was determined not to take anything personal. Larry was going through a difficult time.

"Larry. Sam just died. Maybe you should…"

"Geez! Thank you for reminding me that! I just forgot…"

He stood up and made his chair fall on the floor. He took his head between his hands.

"I know it's hard for you, Larry. But believe me… it's hard for me too. I really loved him," Ally said with a trembling voice.

"Well… yeah! You've seen him what? Two times? You don't have a clue about how I feel right now!"

Ally was about to tell him that he was wrong, that she knew what it feels like to lose somebody you love but she remained silent. Both stared into each other's eyes. Ally remembered that Larry had told her one day that when she'll have a child, she'll be stunned by the capacity you'll have to somebody. She sighed and took a step forward.

"Larry… if I could take away your pain…"

Tears started to fill his eyes, she touched his arm slightly but he backed away.

"I bet that in a way you're happy about this," he replied harshly.

"What… what do you mean?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"Well see… Jamie is definitely out of the picture. Sam too… Maybe that's just what you wanted," Larry said, his voice rising with anger. "Here we are, Ally McBeal… just YOU and me. Is your little selfish person satisfied now?"

Ally stepped back and felt that tears were starting to fall on her cheeks. Larry seemed surprised by his own reaction. He put a hand on his mouth and looked down at the floor.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Ally…"

"Larry," she managed to reply, taking her coat. "I know that you're hurt. I understand, believe me… but… but I'm not gonna let you talk to me like this. I… I'll just go outside… I don't know where but I have to go."

As she was making her way to the front door, Larry stopped her by hugging her from behind.

"Ally, please… don't go! I need you…" he said with a pleading voice that broke her heart.

She couldn't move an inch. It was the first time in a week that Larry was letting her to be close to him. He had been avoiding her proximity. She couldn't even take his hand a moment ago. Larry had his arms around her when he started to sob. Ally couldn't find anything to say, all she could do was rub his arms tenderly. They just stood there a moment. Before she had the time to realize it, Larry had a hand under her shirt and was running his lips on her nape.

"Larry…" Ally whispered, trying to back away, "What are you doing?"

He made her turn around to face him. A second after, his lips were on hers asking for a passionate kiss. She tried to resist at first, thinking it was wrong to feel desire instead of sadness. But then, when he made her coat fall on the floor and started to caress her through her clothes, she forgot about everything. She responded to his kiss with a groan. He took her to their room where he made her lay down on the bed. He moved on top of her to kiss her but he stopped. He searched her eyes and just stared at her for a moment. Ally tried to read what was going on in his mind but she couldn't figure. He had never looked at her this way. His eyes were sad but then, sparkling at the same time. She had the feeling that they were trying to tell her something.

"Ally… I love you."

When he put his lips on hers again, his kisses tasted salty. Tears were falling from his eyes. He tenderly took off her clothes and began to make love to her like he never did… like it was the last time.

* * *

A few days later, Ally was in her office, trying to concentrate on a case when Elaine came in.

"Hi Ally!"

"Hi Elaine…"

Ally raised her head to look at her secretary. She sat on the chair, her hands on her knees. She stared at Ally without saying anything.

"What is it, Elaine?"

Ally was intrigued. Elaine wasn't the type to sit down calmly. She always had something to say.

"Hmmm… Well," Elaine began, clearing her throat. "It's Larry…"

"Wh… what about him?" Ally asked in panic.

"Well, Nelle just saw him at the bar. Maybe you should go see him…"

Ally caught her breath. Larry was still trying to recover from Sam's death. He had gotten back to work but Ally knew that he wasn't feeling any better. At least, he was opening up a little more to her.

"Oh my God! Is he… Is he okay?"

"I don't know, Ally. From what Nelle told me… he's a little drunk."

* * *

When Ally arrived at the bar with Richard, she saw Larry at the piano. He was more than a little drunk. The top of the piano was covered by empty drinks. He was trying to play a note after the other but didn't achieve it. From where she was standing, Ally could see that he had troubles to even stay sitting.

"Poor guy…" Richard sighed.

Larry was the only client at the bar. Nothing surprising, it was only 10 am.

"Richard, could you just stay there a minute. I guess I'll need your help to take him home. I just want to talk to him a moment."

Richard nodded, feeling it wasn't the time to argue or say anything.

Ally slowly approached Larry. By the time she arrived next to him, he took two more drinks.

"Larry?"

He raised his head up as Ally sat next to him. His breath smelled like vodka.

"Hey Ally…"

He smiled at her and she took his hand.

"Are you okay, Larry?"

"I… I'm feeling so… so damn good. I was just… writing a song for Sam…"

"Oh! Larry…"

He laughed and looked up at the ceiling.

"The truth is… I don't even know if he can hear it."

Then he started to cry in Ally's arms.

* * *

The next day, when Renee got back from work she found Ally curled up on the couch. She was still wearing her pajamas.

"Hey, Ally? You took the day off?"

Renee sat down next to her and saw the look on her face. She was pale and her eyes were puffed like she had been crying all day.

"Ally?"

Ally was gazing into space and had a piece of white paper rolled in her hand. Renee took it out delicately and red;

_Dear Ally. When I woke up this morning, I took a look at you and realized how much I love you. Loving you doesn't give me the right to mess up your life. I had to leave. This time, I don't know if I will ever come back. Please, don't wait for me. I don't want you to be sad; I want you to move on with your life. I love you. Larry._

Renee took Ally in her arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Oh my God, Ally…"

"He left a note again," Ally said with a trembling voice. "I… I lost him. Larry is gone… gone. This time, there's no snowman waiting outside…"

"Poor Ally…"

"He left something else…"

Renee raised an eyebrow as Ally bursted into tears.

"I'm pregnant, Renee."

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**[ Forever and a Day ]**

_Sequel to 'Crazy for Larry'._

When Ally sat in her chair in the conference room, she was feeling dizzy. Weakly, she smiled at John who was looking at her with concern, and tried to focus on Richard.

"First up. Hartwell vs. Brown. The woman is suing her ex-lover because he doesn't want to take responsibility for the baby she's carrying."

"Bastard!" Ally let out.

Nelle raised an eyebrow, Ling looked up at the ceiling, John opened his mouth with surprise and Richard took her reply in his own way:

"Aggressive… I like it! I was thinking that John could do the case but Ally, since you're already convinced about it…"

"No, no, no, no, no, Richard!" Ally replied, shaking her head fast which made her feel even dizzier. "Oh no…"

"Ally?" John asked. "You look pale. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied, taking her head between her hands.

When she looked back at her co-workers, they all had three heads. She knew what was coming. She stood up slowly and ran out. She bumped into Elaine.

"Ally, I have to show you my new invention. It's an eatable chastity's belt…"

"Elaine! Move!" Ally gasped in panic, with a hand on her mouth.

She made her way to the unisex where she threw up in the washbasin. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she started to cry. "Damnit!" she mumbled. She washed her face with cold water and told herself: "That's okay. Everything will be okay…"

When she got back in the conference room, they were all silent. John was the only one to look at her. He could see that something was wrong with Ally. She forced a smile and tried to walk proudly to her chair.

"I think that I ate something last night… some old creamy sauce, I don't know…" she said, with embarrassment.

"Geez…" Ling said, watching her nails. "You look pregnant to me!"

Nelle nodded and added: "Don't you think we haven't noticed all those morning sicknesses?"

John choked behind his glass of water.

"C'mon Ally!" Richard claimed. "What's the scoop?"

"Are you pregnant?" John asked timidly.

Ally sat down and took a deep breath.

"Well… a little," she admitted, touching her stomach.

All remained silent for a moment. Ally looked at them nervously. John was rubbing his forehead. Nelle started to play with her pen. Richard sat down and Ling looked up at the ceiling again.

"Another thing to feel victim about," Ling mumbled.

"Oh… that was mean!" Ally responded, shooting her a killer look.

"Are you happy about this?" Nelle asked with a kinder tone.

"Who's the father?" Richard asked.

"Abortion?" Ling proposed.

"Oh…" John simply said.

"If I'm happy about this? Well… yes… By the way, it's the postman's child like you probably all know," Ally tried to joke as tears started to fill her eyes. "And yes, I'm keeping the baby."

She smiled but she felt that it was forced.

Silence again. Talking about Larry had become a sort of taboo at Cage & Fish. They all knew how her relationship with Larry ended two months ago. She had been depressed for a while, not wanting to talk about him. Her pregnancy was her last preoccupation after Larry was gone. She had to see her doctor to realize the truth. Ally felt tension in the air, like they all were sad for her. Even Nelle was looking at her with pity in her eyes.

"C'mon, people!" Ally encouraged. "Cheer up! I'm having a baby!"

* * *

Later that day, Ally was in her office working on a closing when John knocked on the door.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course, John!"

He sat in front of her and looked her directly in the eyes. Ally could feel he was trying to read her thoughts. She felt uncomfortable.

"John, I'm sorry I haven't told you before… You're my best friend."

"Ally… it's okay really. I don't mind."

Ally sighed half relieved. John was still staring at her with questioning eyes. She started to draw distracted with her pen.

"Does Larry know?"

Ally dropped her pen.

"No. He was gone before I had the time to tell him…" she murmured with tears in her voice. "Anyway, what was I going to tell him? Hey, Larry! You just lost your son… big deal? There's another child on the way, don't worry!"

She rested her head on the desk.

"Did he call you? Any news?"

"Larry is gone… gone… gone," she replied with anger, lifting her head up. "Should I repeat?"

"No… no… I understand," John said softly, taking her hand to comfort her. "I just think that it's so sad…"

"I'm not sad!" she exclaimed.

John raised an eyebrow. Ally had never looked that sad. He could see in her eyes that she had trouble sleeping. Since Larry was gone, she was just miserable.

"Ally… You know that you can tell me everything," he said, encouraging her to share his feelings with him.

Ally took a deep breath and when she looked back at him, he could see that her eyes had changed.

"I can't help but think that I'm selfish. I know… I know that Larry lost his son. But, I still don't understand why he left me," she said slowly like she was talking to herself. "I did my best to be understanding, loving… and he left me. A stupid note and he's gone… out of my life! Here's the thing… I hate him!"

"Well…"

"I know, deep down inside, that keeping this baby is right. I mean, I always wanted to be a mother. I just didn't expect it to be this way. Single, alone, unmarried… But do you know what? I'll love this child. I know it!"

"Good…"

"But I don't ever want to hear about Larry Paul again," she said firmly.

As John was making his way to the door, Ally got next to him and took his arm.

"John?" she asked timidly.

"Yes, Ally?" John said with a smile.

"Would you… would you be the father of my baby?"

* * *

A few weeks later, Ally had convinced John to be a possible father figure to her baby. He went to the doctor with her and even shopping for baby clothes. Renee was completely ecstatic about the baby. Elaine was preparing a bit baby shower at the bar. Even if Ally was at the beginning of her pregnancy, she planned it to be big so she told everyone about it, three months in advance. Of course, she was working on a musical number which was supposed to be adorable. She even told Ally: "Note it to your agenda. September 1st. You'll be surprised!"

Richard on his side was being very protective with Ally. Every morning he was bringing her muffins and orange juice. He was very kind to her but Ally suspected him to grow a fetishism about her little belly.

One day, he came into her office and held a file towards her. He looked very excited and his eyes were sparkling.

"Good thing I've got money! Let's say it's my baby present."

"What is it, Richard?" she asked with an intrigued tone.

She took the file in her hands and looked up at him.

"I hired a private detective to follow Larry," he said proudly.

"You what?" she gasped.

"He lives in Philadelphia. He works part time and spends the rest of his time reading books, training, playing music and…"

"What did you…?" Ally started, her cheeks becoming red.

"And most of all, he's single."

Ally threw a strawberry muffin at him.

"Get out of my office, Richard," she said, trying to calm herself.

"Oooh… I like it when you're angry."

"GET OUT!" she yelled.

* * *

For a few minutes she stared at the file. Thinking that it was better not to think about Larry, she decided to throw it out. Larry was just a sweet memory now. At the last moment, her hands started to tremble and before she had the time to realize what she was doing, the file was opened and she had her eyes on Larry's pictures.

She made her way to a chair, her heart beating heavily in her chest. She read the detective's report trying to see between the lines if Larry was doing okay. Then her eyes went back to the pictures. There was on in which Larry was jogging. On another one, he was probably going to work. The last one showed him sitting on a park bench, looking absorbed by his thoughts. He was definitely the most attractive man she ever met. She felt troubled just looking at him. She suddenly remembered all the things she had tried to forget about these past three months.

She remembered the feeling of being close to him. She remembered when he told her: "I'm only at the beginning of loving you," and she had no doubts he was sincere. She touched her stomach, tenderly. That baby growing inside of her, she wanted to keep not just because she wanted to be a mother, but because it was a part of Larry.

"I'm still in love with him," she sighed.

* * *

"No! That is not happening, no!" Ally said, holding her breath.

"What is it, Ally?" Renee asked, entering Ally's room. "What are you doing?"

Ally was lying on her bed trying to put on a skirt. She couldn't even slide it up to her stomach. Renee bursted out laughing.

"Don't you laugh at me, Renee! I'm going to put that skirt on… no matter what…" Ally replied with a desperate tone.

She caught her breath again.

"Ally, breathe! That skirt is too tight now! Face it, you're five months pregnant!"

Ally sat up on her bed and a smile began to form on her lips.

"Oh… I know, I know… The thing is… I don't like maternity clothes. I already feel like an elephant!"

Renee took a look at Ally. She was still thin. She surely had gained a few pounds, her cheeks seemed fuller, her belly was a little puffed but she looked amazing. Renee was relieved that her friend felt better about her pregnancy. Sometimes when she had a sad look on her face, she suspected her to be thinking about Larry but most of the time, Ally was delighted about the baby. They had to move to a bigger apartment a month ago and the baby's room was already decorated.

"Do you want me to go shopping with you?" Renee asked.

"John already proposed to go with me," Ally said, taking a pair of maternity pants with a grimace.

"Wow! John takes his role very seriously…"

"He is very kind. If it goes this way… I'll end up marrying him…" Ally said, while brushing her hair.

"Whoa!" Renee let out.

Ally stepped, finally realizing what she had said.

"Wait… wait a minute! Oh! Did I really say something about marrying John?"

Renee nodded with an intrigued look.

"Oh! Where does that come from?"

"Well, Ally… John could be a good match for you."

"I… I don't know…" Ally said nervously.

"He's a kind man. He cares about you."

Ally replaced the covers on her bed, smoothing them out with her hands. The image of Larry flashed into her head for a second.

"If you could just forget about…" Rene continued.

"Larry," Ally finished.

Both sighed.

* * *

She was staring at the phone for an hour or so. She had his number but just couldn't dial it. She was paralyzed. She took a deep breath and with a trembling finger pushed the first number. She hung up, panting.

"Oh my God… I can't… I can't!" she said out loud.

Ally was sitting on her bed. She was wearing the shirt Larry had forgotten. Did he leave it on purpose? She didn't know. When he had left her she could sit for hours just smelling his shirt, feeling close to him. Now the scent was gone… so was Larry.

She rubbed her stomach tenderly and leaned her head forward.

"Do you think I should call him?" she asked her baby with a sweet voice. "Okay… if YOU want me to call him, give a sign! A little kick whatever…"

She waited, a hand on her belly. No moves. She had read that babies were supposed to start moving during the fifth month. She knew that the baby was healthy but he was sure a little lazy.

"You are not helping mommy… Please, anything…"

She waited again a few minutes, her eyes on the phone. Her hand started to tremble again.

"Okay… okay… I don't need you to tell me what to do. I am… I am strong and courageous," she said trying to convince herself.

She counted to three, grabbed the phone and dialed fast, before she would change her mind.

She listened to the dialing sound while breathing heavily like she was practicing in those preparing-birth classes. Then, she heard his voice.

"Hello?"

Her heart stopped.

"Hello?" Larry repeated.

She couldn't say anything. She was holding the phone with a hand, the other on her stomach. She was sure that he could hear her breathing but she was too shocked to control herself.

"Hello?" Larry asked again with an impatient tone this time. "Who is it?"

She thought about what she could say: "Hey Larry! It's Ally… remember me? The girl you used to be so totally in love with… Hey! Guess what? I'm having your baby."

"Okay…" Larry said slowly. "I repeat… Hello-o?"

Ally smiled. She could picture him, scratching his head, knowing that there was somebody on the line.

"I'm hanging up now. It was nice talking to you."

He hung up and so did she. Ally leaned her head on the pillow. For a moment, it seemed to her that Larry was still close to her… that he was still in her life.

* * *

A few days later, Ally was making her way to the unisex. Through the door she heard Nelle, Ling and Richard arguing. Ally stopped and listened.

"Finally… We have some peace here and you want to tell her?" Ling yelled. "I'm tired of it!"

"Ling, sugar… Don't you think we have to tell her?"

"NO, Richard!"

"Not like I care about her, but if we don't tell her…" Nelle started.

Ally entered and all three opened their mouth with surprise. Ally understood that they were talking about her.

"What is it?" Ally asked with suspicious eyes.

"No… nothing," Richard mumbled.

"Let's get a life!" Ling said before getting out of the unisex.

Nelle and Richard followed her quickly.

* * *

A few minutes later, Ally grabbed Elaine by the arm.

"What's going on?" she asked, "Elaine, people are talking about me and I don't like it!"

"No… nothing!" Elaine stammered, looking at the floor.

"Elaine!" Ally squeezed her arm. "Tell me!"

"Okay… Okay…"

It wasn't too hard to convince Elaine. She was the gossip queen.

They entered Ally's office and closed the door behind them. "You better sit down, Ally. I don't want you to faint."

Ally sat down as told.

"What… is… it?" she asked with impatience.

"Actually, I'm not sure if this is good news."

"Never mind… Say it!"

"Nelle was in court today. Guess who she bumped into?"

Elaine made a salsa move and Ally raised her eyes to the ceiling.

"I'm not in the mood for riddles!"

"Larry."

"W… what?" Ally gasped, her heart missing a beat. "Lar… Larry?"

"Larry Paul, remember him? Very handsome man, sexy, beautiful lips and very profound eyes…"

"Fu… funny…" Ally managed to reply.

"He's in town," Elaine added with a mysterious smile.

"In town?"

"Here in Boston… B-O-S-T-O-N!" Elaine said like Ally was retarded.

"Oh!"

Her hand went immediately to her stomach.

* * *

"Renee Raddick's office…"

"Renee! Renee!" Ally screamed with excitement.

"Ally! Ally!" Renee repeated with the same girlish voice.

"He's back!"

"Who? Larry?"

"Nelle saw him in court," Ally was speaking without taking the time to breathe. "He told her that he was a case but who knows… Renee! I don't know what I'm doing here in my office. I should run through the streets of Boston to find him. I'm dying to see him. I have to see him."

"Ally. First, forget about running. Secondly, a question… Have Nelle told him about the baby? Finally, be careful… I don't want to discourage you but maybe he's just here for work."

Ally felt like she was on the edge of crying. Her pregnancy made her even more emotional.

"I know… I know…"

"I don't want to hurt you, okay?" Renee said with a calm voice.

* * *

After her talk with Renee on the phone, Ally got back to work to set her mind onto something else. It wasn't working. She took a piece of paper and started to draw on it. She focused on the pen, taking deep breaths. About twenty minutes later, when she took a final look at her drawing, there wasn't a single space left on the paper. All she could see was Larry, Larry, Larry… written all over it.

"What am I? Twelve years old?"

She banged her head against the desk and decided to rest on it, with a sigh.

"Taking a nap?"

All happened in a second or so. She raised her head, saw Larry in the doorway, the baby kicked and she fell down her chair, the 'Larry tribute paper' on her belly.

"Oh! Oh!" she gasped.

She was shocked. Both stared into each other's eyes without saying anything. Ally could feel her heart pumping in her head and the baby moving a little. Larry smiled. It was a half smile, that cute little smile he made when he was shy. She was melting.

"Hi Ally…" he finally said with a sweet voice.

She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She was paralyzed.

"Can I come in?" e asked with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh! Oh!"

She shook her head nervously. He raised an eyebrow.

"Come… come in," she said weakly.

He entered and sat down in front of her like he used to do before. It was strange. To Ally, it felt like he had never left her. He hadn't changed a bit and he looked in pretty good shape. From the way he was smiling, Ally understood that he was feeling better.

"I'm in town for a few days. I live in Philadelphia now."

"I know…" Ally said without thinking.

"You know…?" Larry asked with surprise.

"I… I mean… you're here… in… in town."

The baby kicked again.

"Oh!" Ally let out.

He couldn't take his eyes off her. From where he was sitting, he couldn't see the curve of her stomach.

"You okay?" Larry asked like he did so often before.

"Oh! I… I'm okay…"

He smiled again and his brown eyes met hers. Ally suddenly wondered how he would react if she ran to him and kissed him. She bit her lower lip and imagined the picture. He would back off and notice her belly. Now, no mistake possible, she really was looking pregnant.

"You look great!" he said, smiling even brighter and noticing that Ally's were sparkling in an amazing way.

"You too, Larry…" she sighed.

He took off his glasses and started to clean them on his tie. He did that when he was nervous she remembered. He put back his glasses and tilted his head slightly.

"So…" he said.

"So?"

"What's new?"

"Oh!" she managed to say, getting herself lower in the chair. "Not… nothing really new… Old stuff!"

Larry looked down at his hands and cleared his throat.

"Like I said, I'm in town for a few days. I was passing by your office and I wanted to see how you're doing."

She stopped smiling and thought: "What were you thinking, Ally? You thought he would say: Ally, I came by because I miss you and I still love you." She remained silent and Larry surely thought by the look on her face that she had her mind onto something else… Like it was possible not to think about him… Torture!

He stood up and went to the door. He turned around disappointed.

"Don't go, Larry!" she thought. "Don't go."

"Well… I just wanted to say hi. If you want to get a coffee or lunch this week…"

"How about now?" she said spontaneously.

He smiled. She melted again.

"Great!" he exclaimed.

Ally was on the edge of getting up, when another kick from the baby reminded him of his presence. It was strange. The baby had never moved before this day.

"Maybe he can feel that I'm nervous and excited," she thought smiling back at Larry. "Or, maybe he's finally sending me signals."

She laughed and Larry looked intrigued.

"Sorry! I just thought about something…"

"Are you coming? I can't wait to catch things up with you…" he said softly.

"Oh! Huh…. Just wait for me outside, Larry. I'll just get my coat…"

He took her coat, inviting her to get up with a gesture.

"No, no, no," she mumbled, shaking her head. "Wait for me… outside!"

"Okay…" he finally agreed, not understanding. "I'll be outside of the building."

He waved his hand and left her office. It took her a few minutes to get down to earth and realize what had just happened. Larry was back. When she got up, her legs were weak. She looked down at her belly and asked sweetly:

"Now, tell me… What should I do?"

* * *

With precautions, Ally sat down in front of Larry at the coffee table. "Don't make any pregnant moves," she told herself. "Just act normal."

"Ally? Are you cold?"

"No."

"Then why don't you take off your coat?" he asked with interrogative eyes.

"Oh… I…"

Her heart squeezed. Maybe she didn't have to tell him after all. What if he was just visiting and had no intentions of ever seeing her again?"

"I'm just… going to keep that coat… Maybe I'm cold… I don't know…" she said weakly.

"We're in August and it's thirty degrees outside. Are you okay? Maybe you're starting a fever or something…"

He touched her forehead with the back of his hand. She immediately felt the electricity of his touch. Time seemed to stop as they looked into each other's eyes. It was just his soft finger on her forehead but still, it was torturing her.

"Larry…" she whispered, closing her eyes.

He got his hand back to the menu and she let out a sigh. The waiter got to the table.

"I'll have a cappuccino," Larry ordered. "Ally, you want one?"

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, almost stepping on her chair. "No coffee for me!"

"No good for the baby," she thought. Quickly Ally touched her stomach under the table, a reflex she had. The baby was probably sleeping calmly. She removed her hand like it was burnt.

"I thought you liked coffee!" Larry said with surprise, his hand holding his head.

"I did… I do… I can't!" Ally stammered, blushing. "Oh! I'll just have an orange juice."

She hid her face behind the menu. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to tell him but she didn't know how. Instead of finding answers in the reflection of the glossy menu, she saw the dessert section.

"Oh! And I'll have a sugar pie and a cheese cake."

She smiled with delight and gave the menu back to the waiter. When her eyes got back to Larry, she saw that he was looking at her with an amused smile.

"Ally… Am I wrong or you never really like desserts? Plus, I didn't remember you had a big appetite…"

"He gets suspicious," Ally thought with panic.

"Well, Larry… There's a lot of thing you don't know about me…" she responded nervously.

"Such as?"

All of a sudden, she felt angry at him. Her face turned red. That was the other side of her pregnancy: changing moods. Her tone rose which caused the interest of other clients at the coffee place.

"Never mind, Larry! You're here for what, three days? And WHY are you here by the way? I don't think you're only here for a case. I… I think you're here to torture me. And I don't appreciate it!" she replied with an accusing finger pointing at him. "Well, you see? I'm totally fine! I never felt better! Like you said, let's catch up a little and go… and go our separate ways so we can be happy with our respective new lives."

She stopped for air.

"Okay…" Larry said slowly, cleaning his glasses. "I was just wondering when you say you're really thinking about me. I'm a jerk…"

"Yes," she mumbled between her teeth.

"You hate me."

"Y… yes," she said with an unsure tone and looking at him with a tear in the eye.

"Liar," she told herself. "You're crazy about him!"

Larry took his head with his two hands. Luckily, the waiter arrived with their orders so Ally practically jumped on the plates. If her mouth wasn't so full of cheese cake she would probably bombard him with harsh words. Larry caught the opportunity to explain himself.

"You're right to be mad at me, Ally. I deserve it! I understand you feelings," he said calmly, being very careful to choose the right words. "It wasn't kind to leave you with a note… again. But I was desperate and I thought it would be better to go away. I mean, do you seriously think that I was a great partner while mourning Sam? I was crying all the time, being harsh with you, drinking… I could see that you were unhappy."

"Hmm… Wah we ssaaa," she tried to say with a full mouth.

"Excuse me?" he asked with a light laugh.

She raised a finger, asking him to wait until she'd finish chewing. He smiled with the thought that she was just adorable with her round face and sparkling eyes. He thought that she looked even prettier with the few pounds she had gained.

"I was just sad to see you that way. I wasn't unhappy, Larry. I was just feeling helpless," she finally explained, with a kind voice this time.

How could she stay angry at him? She couldn't. Especially when he was looking at her with those sweet eyes.

"Have you been seeing anyone?" he asked over his cappuccino.

"No… you?" Ally asked, blushing.

"No," he simply said, his eyes searching for hers.

She bit her lower lip and stared back at him for a moment. Was she hallucinating or was Larry really in front of her, looking at her with adoration just like he used to do before? She cleared her throat, shook her head to get back to reality.

"So…" she said, breaking the silence. "Tell me about that big case you're working on."

* * *

Ally rushed outside of the elevator of Cage & Fish. It was about five pm. Many of the employees were gone. Anxiously, she looked around.

"Elaine! Where's John?" Ally asked, in a hurry.

"John is probably home. He left earlier."

"Oh! I just had to… to talk to him!"

Richard appeared from behind and made Ally step with surprise.

"Oh! Gossip time! Meeting in my office in about… let's see… thirty seconds."

Elaine giggled with excitement and followed Richard to the conference room as Ally's mouth opened. About two hours before they had seen Larry entering her office. Now, they felt that it was time for them to learn what happened.

"Hey! I said I wanted to talk to JOHN!"

With a sigh of resignation, Ally joined them and sat down in a chair. Ling was sitting in front of her with a disinterested look on her face.

"Ally," Elaine said, her eyes full of excitement, "We are dying to know about what happened with Larry. Have you told him about the baby?"

"No… I just couldn't," Ally sighed.

"Did you have sex with him yet?" Richard asked.

"No, Richard!" Ally said with impatience. "Could you… could you tell me how it's possible for me to have sex with Larry without him noticing that I am very pregnant? I would like to know!"

"Well, I have an idea about that…" Richard replied.

"Oh, shut up, Richard, don't be gross! I don't know what to do about Larry. I told him I needed to make some calls in my office. He's downstairs at the bar, waiting for me. I really don't know what to do. Should I tell him?"

"Perhaps we could help…" Elaine proposed with a concerned look.

"I doubt," Ally replied, her eyes going from Elaine the gossip queen to bygones Richard and distant Ling.

"Like we care!" Ling mumbled with cold eyes.

"C'mon, Ally," Richard encouraged, "You know you can tell us everything!"

"No, I don't!"

"You have to tell him about the baby. I bet he'll feel too guilty to leave you again," Elaine said. "Good manipulation!"

"Tell him to get lost!" Ling proposed.

"We could sue him if he doesn't want to take responsibility. "Mhm… money."

Ally rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Okay, enough! Thanks anyway," she forced herself to say.

At this very moment, she was missing John.

* * *

Ally entered the bar with her heart pounding hard in her chest. Larry was waiting for her to sit at the table.

"God! You like this coat! Are you sleeping with it?" Larry asked, placing a martini in front of her.

"I don't drink anymore, thanks!"

Larry raised an eyebrow. Ally was acting strange. She was feeling very uncomfortable. She had to tell him.

"Larry. Can we go out for… a walk?"

He nodded, stood up and took his coat.

* * *

They were walking for about an hour when Larry finally talked about Sam.

"I miss him, you know… There isn't a day I don't think about him or even a minute some days. Sometimes, I can almost feel his presence and I… talk to him through my thoughts and even out loud. Am I crazy?"

"No, Larry. I know I shouldn't be the one telling what's normal or not. But I believe that people who died come to take care of us…"

She smiled at him and he seemed reassured.

"Maybe he's like an angel watching over me now. I don't know about the wings, though," he added smiling back at her.

Ally stopped in front of her new apartment which was a few blocks away from the old one.

"Here's my new apartment. We moved in a month ago," she explained with a hand gesture.

"Oh! What for?"

"I… I… We wanted a bi… bigger one…" she stammered. "You want to come in?"

"Sure," he said with a smile.

Larry followed Ally upstairs and as she was turning the key in the door she could feel his breath on her neck. She felt troubled and gasped. "The baby's room!" she though. "I can't let him inside!"

She turned around only to see Larry standing dangerously close to her.

"Larry… I'm tired… I don't think that's such a good idea after all. Why don't we have lunch tomorrow?"

"Okay…" Larry agreed with a touch of disappointment in his voice.

"Good!" Ally replied weakly.

"Okay then… See you tomorrow," Larry said softly, not moving an inch.

"Okay…" Ally whispered, her eyes attracted to his lips.

He leaned closer, kissed her on the cheek quickly and got downstairs.

"Bye Ally…" he said, waving at her.

"No, no, no wait, Larry!" she said, thinking that she couldn't let him go again.

He stopped and turned around with no surprise like he was expecting her to change her mind. He knew her too well. He climbed back the stairs in a few steps. He smiled, waiting for her to say what she had to say.

"Have you thought about me?" Ally asked anxiously.

That was the first time she was talking about them…

"All the time," Larry whispered, his eyes sparkling.

"Oh, Larry…" she said, with a broken voice.

He caught her face between his hands and kissed her tenderly. She felt tears running from her eyes as she finally realized that Larry Paul was still in love with her. Five months had passed and they were still feeling the same way about each other. She responded to his kiss thinking that it was probably the last one since she had to tell him about her pregnancy.

"It was a mistake to run away from you, Ally…" Larry said, running his fingers through her hair.

"Larry… I… I have to tell you something."

She unbuttoned her coat with trembling fingers. Larry couldn't take his eyes off hers. She felt tears going down her cheeks. He kissed them softly, heartbroken to see her cry.

"Larry… I love you," she whispered, her lips trembling as he was kissing her again.

While responding to his kiss, she led his hand under her shirt to her stomach where he first felt her warm skin but then her puffed belly. Under his fingers, the baby moved a little, showing its presence.

* * *

Larry's kiss became even more passionate. He thought for a second that Ally leading his hand under her shirt was some kind of invitation to go further. He felt again something moving under his fingers. It was like a little vibration but quite perceptible. He froze, his lips still on Ally's.

"This is the end of the dream," Ally thought.

Larry backed off immediately.

"W… what the…? Ally? Oh!"

He lifted her shirt a little and took a glimpse at her stomach. He touched it again but this time with a full hand. It was round, that kind of roundness that only a pregnant woman could have.

"Ally? Are… are… you?" he tried to ask, knowing the answer already.

"Constipated?" she joked with a sarcastic tone, only to help herself fight back the tears. "No… it isn't water retention either. So what's left? Yeah… I'm pregnant."

She finally opened the door to her apartment. She had nothing to hide from him now, as painful as it was. The truth had been said. Larry stepped inside. She took off her coat and threw it on the couch. Larry was staring at her stomach with a stunned look. Ally wiped away a tear from her eye.

"Surprise!" she said in a weak tone.

"Oh!" Larry mumbled, a hand covering his mouth. "I… I…"¨

He was speechless. With a sign of the hand, Ally pointed towards the baby's room on her left.

"I just… can't believe it, Ally…" Larry managed to say, scratching his head. "I'm shocked."

"You… you see, Larry… I was really, really anticipating your reaction. I should have called you or something but…"

"How?" he interrupted.

"Well, I got touched by a…. magic wand!"

"I… I mean, how many months…" he said, shaking his head.

"Five. And… when I say I got touched by a magic wand, I mean your magic wand, Larry." She explained gesticulating and talking faster. "Well, it was more than just a touch. It was more like having sex for the last time with some guy who left me a few days later. For the record, it was the most amazing night of all. And… and… I'm glad that something came out of… it. I mean, a baby… what a great souvenir!"

She giggled nervously and sat down on the couch, grabbing a cushion to feel comfort. Larry started to walk around the living room, with an anxious look on his face.

"I should have known. I'm such a fool. You were sending me signals. The coat, the desserts, the big appetite, the sparkling in your eyes…"

"Larry, you're the father of my baby," Ally simply said, strangely feeling a touch of hope as she was saying those words.

"Oh! That's… that's what I thought."

He sat down next to her on the couch, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Ally could see how upset he was by the look on his face. She, on her side, was feeling alone. Having a baby was supposed to bring joy but at this very moment, it was exactly the opposite.

"So, Larry…" Ally began, breaking the silence with her trembling voice.

"Geez, Ally… You're telling me that I'm about to be a father," he said, his voice breaking on the last word. "How am I supposed to react? I… I don't know what to say…"

Ally turned to face him. He was staring at the floor with empty eyes.

_I lost him again..._

"Well, Larry… If you don't know what to say, maybe… maybe you should go…"

"Ally…"

"No… no… I need to sob… huh, I need to sleep. It's been a crazy day and I'm tired…"

Larry didn't say anything. When Ally raised her head, he was already gone.

* * *

When Ally arrived at the firm the other day after a bad night without sleep, Elaine rushed to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Ally! Larry is in your office… He's been waiting for an hour."

"Oh… Oh…" Ally stammered.

"You told him," Elaine said.

"You tone indicates me that it's not a question, Elaine. How did you know?" Ally asked, staring nervously at her office door.

"When I saw him getting off the elevator… I knew!"

Ally's heart missed a beat.

"Is it that bad?"

Elaine nodded with a sad look.

"I'm sorry, Ally… Really…"

* * *

Ally entered her office. Larry was staring out of the window with an absent look on his face. From his messy hair, she knew that he had just as much trouble sleeping.

"Hi Larry…" Ally said weakly.

"Hi…" he said, immediately taking a look at her belly.

"What… What brings you here?"

_Yeah! Great question. This is the end._

Larry took off his glasses and cleaned them on his tie. His eyes searched the room without taking another look at Ally.

"I thought about it and I'm willing to take my responsibilities."

"Oh!" Ally said, uncertain.

"I mean if this is MY child… I have to…"

"What do you mean… If this is YOUR child?" Ally asked, becoming furious. "Like… like it's possible for me to be with someone else after being with you. You're… you're not the forgettable type, Larry and I hate to admit that!"

She wasn't sure but it seemed like a half smile was forming on Larry's lips but then it could be her imagination… At this very moment, she had the idea to run to him.

"If you want me to sign any papers, no problem!" he added.

She got back to earth.

"Pa… papers?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah! We don't have to sue each other, right? We can talk about it and settle it our own way."

She gasped. Larry was acting like they were discussing a case.

"Larry… wait, wait, WAIT! We… we're talking about a baby! I mean our baby…" she stammered, feeling hurt by his coldness. "You're talking it's a thing. I… I…"

"Look, Ally. I'll get used to it… I'm just shocked," he admitted with a sigh.

"You what? Get used to… it?" she yelled, pointed at her belly with a finger. "I don't believe it!"

Abruptly, Larry turned to face her and yelled with the same tone:

"What were you expecting, Ally? You thought that I would be happy about this baby? I never asked for it!"

Ally bursted into tears.

"Then why… did you say a few weeks before leaving me that you were thinking about us having a baby together, someday… Maybe you don't remember it. But, I… I do."

"No… That was a long time ago. Things have changed!" he yelled back.

"Things?"

"I… I lost my son," he said and then started to cry.

Ally stood there a moment, looking at him with mixed emotions. She wanted to run to him but she was also angry at him for many reasons. Larry rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm really sorry…" he whispered.

"I know that you're hurt, but you know what, Larry?" Ally found the strength to reply. "I'm tired of this… I'm tired of crying all the time! Go back to Philadelphia… or go to Mexico. I DON'T CARE!"

Larry stepped forward, finally looking at her face.

"I don't believe you, Ally," he said calmly.

He took her hand in his. Ally had to resist, had to be rational.

"I've had enough of… you," she said. "Go away, Larry."

"You want me to go?" he asked. "Really?"

"Yup!" she said, fighting back tears.

"Fine…" he replied, walking to the door.

"Fine! Have a nice life!" she exclaimed with a fake joyous tone.

"You too…" he mumbled, waving goodbye.

Larry Paul was out of her life.

* * *

"Ally?" John asked knocking on the door of the unisex's bathroom. "Are you all right?"

"Y… yeah…" she answered with an unsure tone.

"Are you sick?"

"No… I'm just sitting here… trying not to think about Larry…"

John heard Ally sigh behind the door. She had been there for about an hour. They were all in the conference room when Ally got up from her chair and left the room with empty eyes. He had spent to whole week, looking like a ghost, eating only a little and staring into space. John was really worried about her.

"Ally, can you please get out of there?" John said with a sweet voice.

Ally opened the bathroom's door. Her eyes were puffed up, her face pale with red marks showing that she had been crying for a while.

"Hi…" she mumbled, staring at her own shoes.

John felt his heart breaking just looking at her. She was wearing a huge shirt, hiding her belly.

"Oh, Ally…" he simply said.

She bursted into tears in his arms. He stroked her hair gently as she was clinging to him.

"Damn it! I… I'm crying again!" she said with a mix and sadness and anger.

"Shh… That's okay, Ally."

"No! I am not okay!" she protested, backing off to look at her reflection in the mirror and pointing at it. "I am desperate, ugly, huge, stupid, neurotic, single and pregnant!"

She gasped for air and shook her head with fuming eyes.

"And I'm acting like I'm a victim," she added.

John remained silent, looking at Ally with a concerned look. He didn't like it. Ally had been through a lot these past years. She had a lot of downer periods and when she was finally doing great, Billy died. A few months later, she met Larry which has changed her life completely. She was in love with him. But Larry was gone and she was alone again.

Ally continued to talk following John's thoughts.

"You know, John… I seriously thought I could live without Larry. I spent five months without him and… and I was doing great. A few months without seeing him and he could have been all forgotten… Well, not really but… He came back… I am so silly! He kisses me one time and I'm falling love with him all over again."

"Did you ever stop having feelings for him?" John asked softly.

"No," she admitted with a sigh. "If only I wasn't pregnant…"

"Ally… please don't say that."

"I believe that Larry would be here with me if I wasn't… Maybe we could have started over again. But, I made him go away."

"Ally… He will come back."

"Don't… John! Please don't say those things!" she replied with exasperation. "It doesn't help me. I have to… move on."

She rubbed her eyes and hid her face with her hands.

"He will come back," John repeated, this time with determination.

Two days later, John was in Philadelphia.

* * *

Larry was working on a case when John entered his office. He raised his head and his mouth opened with surprise when he saw John.

"John! Is Ally okay?" he asked with panic, getting up from his chair. "Something happened to her?"

"Larry," John nodded. "Ally is okay… but she's done better."

Larry caught his breath and shook John's hand.

"I'm sorry, John. I just panicked. Please sit down. How are you doing?"

John dumped to the reason of his visit, thinking that chatting was Larry's last priority.

"I'm fine. I'm here to talk to you about Ally. I'm really concerned about her. She's been quite depressed. By the way, she doesn't know that I'm here. I don't think she would approve but… I had to do something because… all of this is tearing her apart."

Larry started to play nervously with his pen. He didn't know what to say.

"Do you remember that day in court when you and Ally had a fight? You were just starting to date. She was upset about something and I suggested that you'd go after her…"

Larry remembered the whole scene in his head. Ally was upset by the way he had treated Kimmy Bishop in court. (He learned after, that she was disappointed that he hadn't kissed her). Ally had left and John had said: "She gets emotional. I'd go after her." Larry had replied: "I don't do that." And John had said wisely: "I suppose if you did it'd make it harder to live life alone."

John leaned closer to Larry's desk and said gravely:

"This time, Larry you better go after her."

Larry took off his glasses. John's words were affecting him, making him feel sad.

"She asked me to go away…" Larry replied, rubbing his forehead. "I don't want to hurt her. I don't think…"

"Larry," John interrupted. "I know that you lost your son and believe me; I truly sympathize with your pain. But… are you feeling any better here in Philadelphia? Do you know people here?"

"No…" Larry mumbled.

"Then tell me… what's the point of being alone when someone deeply loves you? Explain it to me because I'm not sure I understand…"

Larry sighed.

"It's not that I don't love Ally. God! I… I… am so in love with her."

"Then go back to her!" John exclaimed.

"It's not that easy…"

"Do you realize how lucky you are to have her… to be loved by Ally?" John said, his voice breaking at the mention of her name.

Larry dropped his pen and stared at John with surprise.

"John… are you in love with her?"

John's nose whistled. Larry raised an eyebrow.

"I… I… I'm not here to talk about my feelings for Ally," John stammered. "Ally is really precious to me. I'm here because I want to see her happy. That's all I want…"

John stood up and took something out of his pocket.

"Here, take a look at this."

When Larry's eyes went down on what came out of John's pocket, his heart missed a beat. On his desk were three little black and white pictures. He recognized the white form on a black background.

"I went to the doctor with Ally yesterday for her ultrasound. I should have been you… with her, Larry."

Larry couldn't take his eyes off the pictures. He could see the little fingers of the baby and even his little nose. Something cracked inside of him. He knew that his resistance had fallen.

John was making his way to the door when he turned and added:

"In case you're interested… It's a baby girl."

Larry had finally raised his head and John noticed the tears in his eyes.

"Thank you, John," Larry said.

* * *

_**A week later – September 1**__**st**__** – Baby shower at the Martini's bar**_

"Do you want another piece of cake, Ally?" Renee asked.

Ally shook her head and rubbed her stomach.

"No, no, no… I already had two, that's enough!" she replied, surprised by her regained appetite.

Ally let her eyes go back to Elaine who was singing "Baby Love". It was amazing how Elaine looked discreet, singing in a room with no men to look at her. So far, the baby shower was great. It was nice to have the bar for themselves with no men around. Ally took a look back at the gifts her friends had given her. She smiled at them. Nelle smiled back which was very surprising. Renee was playing with a pink rattle while Ling was with Vonda at the bar, probably having some song requests.

Elaine ended her song and with a mysterious look announced:

"Ladies! Here's the moment we're all waiting for!"

Then a male erotic dancer on stage as disco music was playing.

"What the… what the hell?" Ally gasped, looking at Elaine and Nelle.

Both were laughing. Elaine had decided to throw herself at the dancer. She was rubbing herself on him, following his moves.

"Gosh! This is a baby shower!" Ally said. "I'm glad my daughter isn't out yet!"

"Go, Elaine! Go!" Ling yelled from the bar.

"I'm gonna go pee. This is too much for me!" Ally said with a light laugh.

"Since when are you scrupulous, Ally?" Renee asked with amusement.

Ally grimaced to her roommate and went to the bathroom. When she got out five minutes later, she noticed that all her friends were looking at her with a huge smile in their faces. She made her way to the table slowly and stopped.

"What?" she asked with suspicious eyes.

"Nothing," Renee said, looking at the ceiling.

Nelle laughed. Elaine giggled in the microphone and Ling smiled widely. This was strange.

When Ally sat down, she felt something soft on her chair. She looked down. There was a small fluffy elephant on it. There was a note pinned on his ear. She read:

_I'm in your office._

She felt her legs weakening.

"Larry," she whispered recognizing his handwriting.

She stared at the elephant, almost hypnotized by it, until Renee finally shook her.

"Ally! Ally! Larry is back!" Ling exclaimed with a rare tenderness in her voice.

"Oh! Oh!" Ally gasped. "He is… Oh!"

Ally sat down, her nose sniffing the plush. It did smell like Larry. She smiled.

"What are you waiting for, Ally?" Renee asked.

"Go see him!" Elaine said. "Go!"

Ally stood up.

"Oh my god!" she let out. "Okay… I'm… I'm going upstairs… Oh!"

She rushed to the elevator, pressed the button nervously.

"Come on! Come on!" she said with impatience.

When the door opened she got inside and noticed a teddy bear. There was a note on it too:

_Can you forgive me?_

The elevator had never gotten up that slow, Ally thought. She could feel her heart beating in her chest. She pressed a hand on her stomach.

"Can you believe it?" she asked her baby. "He's back!"

She had forgotten how angry she was at him. Larry was back, that was all that mattered.

The elevator opened to the firm. She noticed that there were several plush animals everywhere on the way to her office. She took a look at all of them. They all had a note:

_I'm so sorry_

_I miss you_

_I love you_

Slowly, she opened the door of her office and saw Larry sitting on her chair with a huge monkey in his arms. She stopped in the doorway, her arms full of plushes.

"Hi!" he said softly with his brown eyes sparkling.

"Larry…" she whispered.

He smiled at her with adoration.

"I've been here for about an hour. Elaine asked me to strip when I got downstairs. I said that I'd only strip in private… but for your eyes only."

"Are you back… for good?" Ally asked, feeling tears on the way.

"I talked with Sam," Larry replied, ignoring the question.

"Huh?"

"I mean, I talked to him in a dream," he explained, hugging the monkey tight to his chest. "He looked so real."

A shadow passed into Larry's eyes but he smiled.

"Oh!" Ally simply said.

"He said that everything is going to be okay," Larry added with a soft voice.

Larry stood up from the chair and slowly approached Ally. They couldn't take their eyes from each other. He smiled brightly. She smiled back through her tears.

"Ally… I want this baby," Larry said softly.

He took a step closer, holding he monkey to him. Ally bursted into tears.

"Damn hormones!" she said, wiping her cheeks.

Larry tilted his head and looked closely at her.

"Let me help you with these…" Larry said, helping her to get rid of all the plush animals in her arms.

"Larry… I love you," Ally said with a broken voice. "Don't you ever go away again!"

He put the plushes on her desk and got back to Ally in a few steps. He smiled.

"I won't!" he promised.

She took his hand and led it to her stomach. This time he approached and rubbed it softly. The baby moved under his hand. Both laughed.

"That's my girl!" Larry said, smiling at Ally with tears in his eyes.

"Mmm…" Ally responded.

Then they kissed softly. Larry's lips were everywhere, on her forehead, on her nose and then on her lips.

"Oh, Larry…" Ally whispered, running her fingers through his hair.

"Wait… you haven't read that note."

He turned the monkey around. Ally looked down at the note and back at Larry. The paper said:

_Will you marry me?_

Ally gasped for air and started to tremble. Larry took off his glasses, got a ring out of his pocket and slid it onto Ally's finger.

"Ally, I won't promise there won't be hard times. I'm still coping with Sam's death… but… I'm not going away this time. I want to be with you. I want to have this child with you…"

She interrupted him with a kiss and threw her arms around him.

"Will you marry me, Ally McBeal?" he asked with pure tenderness in his eyes.

She bursted into tears again, unstoppable. He kissed her cheeks and her eyes softly.

"Oh no! Don't cry, sweetie!" he said, wiping away her tears with his fingers. "You don't have to say yes. I'll stay with you no matter what."

"Are… are you silly, Larry Paul?" she managed to say. "Of course, I want to marry you!"

They kissed, laughed and cried at the same time. Larry pulled Ally a little bit closer to him and felt the baby kicking in her belly. For the first time in months, he was feeling happy. He was with the woman he loved and there was hope for the future. At this very moment, he believed that there was really an angel watching over them.


	3. Chapter 3

**[ Oh! Happy Days! ]**

_Sequel to 'Forever and a Day'._

Ally and Larry were discussing baby names… in bed.

"How about Sarah?" Ally proposed, leaning her head on Larry's shoulder.

"I don't know… Too common."

"Eva?"

"No…"

"Anna? That sounds so sweet," Ally said with a sigh.

"No…" Larry replied.

"I like Elizabeth…"

"Yuck! Like Queen Elizabeth. When I hear that name all I'm thinking about is the queen waving with that wig she wears on her head."

"Larry! She doesn't wear a wig, that's her natural hair. When I thought of Elizabeth as a possible name for our daughter, I wasn't thinking about the queen."

"I don't like that name," Larry said categorical.

Ally sighed and pinched him.

"Ouch!"

"Larry… we've been discussing it over and over and you never agree. Do YOU have any suggestions to make? I personally like Anna…"

He raised his shoulders.

"Since this is OUR daughter we're talking about. Why don't we ask HER?"

Ally raised an eyebrow and watched Larry resting his head on her belly. He often did that which was absolutely adorable. He knocked on it softly. Ally laughed.

"Hello? Someone there? Hey! Baby? It's Daddy… Do YOU have suggestions?"

He pressed his ear against Ally's stomach with a cute smile. He listened a few seconds.

"Wait! I hear something! It's a burp. Oh! Great… Burp Paul. Original name. Sounds cool!"

"You're nuts!"

Larry started to drop tender kisses everywhere on her belly which made Ally moan. A sexy smile formed on his lips as she led his hand under the top of her pajama and then up to her breast.

"Mhmmm… Larry…"

He caught one of her breasts in his hand and then the other one with surprise in his eyes.

"Gosh, Ally… they're so much bigger!"

Ally bit her lower lip, feeling warmth all over her body.

"Do you like them?" she slid a hand under Larry's pants.

"Oh… oh… v… very…" he stammered.

He rolled next to her. Now, he had a hand on her belly and the other one caressing her breast.

"Larry…"

"Mhmm?"

"How about we…"

She didn't finish her sentence; he'd already his lips on hers. They kissed deeply, both moaning at the same time. Larry was about to move his fingers under Ally's panties when he felt the baby moving.

"Ooops! Baby is awake!" he said, joining both hands on her belly.

"Oh! It doesn't matter," Ally replied, pulling his hand back to her breast.

"Oh… no…" Larry mumbled, backing off.

"Larry… it's been so long…"

Larry blushed.

"I always believed in chastity before marriage," he said with a wry smile, replacing Ally's pajama.

"Are… are you serious?" Ally asked, almost with panic.

"No, just kidding… But I've got to go. I have a deposition at 9."

Ally let out a sigh. She was, in fact very disappointed. It had been so long since they'd made love. The last time was when they conceived the baby, just before Larry left her and went to Philadelphia.

Painfully, Ally watched him taking off his t-shirt. She tried to focus on something else… the ceiling, the lamp, the window but her eyes were drawn to his chest. It was torture.

"Larry…" Ally said. "How about that famous strip-tease you promised me the other night?"

"I'm… I'm just… going to the shower."

He pointed at the bathroom door. Ally could swear Larry was embarrassed. He smiled shyly and made his way to the bathroom.

She waited to hear the water running and then grabbed the pillow and screamed in it.

"Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

* * *

"First up… I'm speaking for all of us here. Ally, we're happy that Larry is back with you."

All applauded. Ally blushed and noticed that John was smiling widely. He felt content that 'happy Ally' was back.

"And I'm glad that you agreed to work a little on the Johnson's case," Richard added.

"Oh… did… I?" Ally asked with surprise. "I'm not supposed to work on any case. I'm about to take my maternity break and I'm planning my wedding so…"

"Richard thought that you'd be the best person for that case," Nelle explained, reading her file, distantly.

"I don't understand…"

"Basically, Ally… you're pregnant! A big belly always brings sympathy," Richard said.

"Transduction," Ling added, looking at the ceiling. "Huge pregnant women bring more money because people feel sorry for them…"

"Poor Ally," Nelle sighed.

"I… I'm not… I am not… huge!" Ally stammered, imagining the ceiling falling on Ling's head. "I'm only six months pregnant."

"It looks like it's eighteen months," Ling said.

Ally's cheeks turned red.

"YOU look like you never had a HEART!" Ally yelled at her, pointing an accusing finger.

Both growled.

"Ally. Ling. Please calm down," John pleased with patience. "Ally, you look great and even Ling could agree with me on that."

"When you like the elephant type," Ling replied with a snob look.

"What the hell?" Ally let out.

"Po… po… po…" John stammered.

Richard bursted out laughing. Ally shot him a killer look and then focused her eyes on Ling.

"How about we go in the unisex and FINISH with each other?" Ally said, between her teeth.

"Something is frustrating you, Ally?" Ling asked.

"Go to hell!" she responded. "Let's move along before I bite your head off…"

"Oh please…" John said.

Nelle could barely hide a smile.

"What were we talking about? Oh! Yeah… the Johnson's case. I don't know about that… Besides the fact that I'm pregnant… why me?"

"I don't mean to pressure you. But Judge Walland is a touch case himself. My sources told me that he's a grandfather," Richard explained. "You just have to show your belly a little in court, wear a stretched dress if you dare… You don't have to say anything intelligent, just be yourself. Bygones!"

"I am going to kill someone…" Ally let out.

"Just be pregnant and sweet," Nelle added.

Ally caught her breath. This could be her final case before she'd give birth. She knew that her pregnancy was making her even more convincing to win a case. It would be good, also, to set her mind onto something else, not always think about the baby, the wedding and the absence of sex with Larry.

"So…" Richard said.

"I'm horny… huh… I'm on it. I meant… I'm on it…"

She blushed.

"Ooooh! Now I know you'll do a terrific job," Richard agreed.

* * *

"Elaine. May I speak with you a moment?"

"Of course!"

Elaine sat down in front of Ally and crossed her legs. She took a glimpse at Ally's stomach and smiled.

"Boy! That baby is coming soon…"

"She is not!" Ally replied with anger. And if you want to go through the day alive or walking on your two legs… DO NOT TALK ABOUT MY WEIGHT!"

"Snappish… Okay… Ally, you look in-cre-di-ble!"

"Don't you…" Ally said with a warning look.

"Calm down… that's a compliment. You do look good. You're glowing!"

"I'm sorry… I'm…"

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh! How am I going to put this? Huh…" Ally hesitated. "How… how… do you do it, Elaine? I mean… How do you deal with your sexual appetite without actually having sex all the time you want it…?"

Elaine raised her shoulders.

"When I want sex, I get sex."

Ally shook her head with embarrassment.

"I mean… You can't obviously have sex all the time!"

Elaine searched in her purse and Ally gasped when a vibrator emerged from it.

"This is Oscar. My new invention. He's with me all the time… Oscar has thirty different speeds, it also moves by itself… back and forth! Mhmm… Big boy!"

Ally saw Elaine look at the object with affection. She grimaced.

"You want an Oscar, Ally? I've got a few in the drawer of my desk if you need one."

"I don't want an Oscar… I want a LARRY!" Ally exclaimed.

"Oh!" Elaine said with a smile. "I understand now… You want to have sex with Larry but Larry doesn't want it because all he can see is your belly."

"I'm afraid you're right…" Ally sighed. "I know that I'm pregnant but…"

"But you want to feel his penis in your vagina," Elaine finished.

"Oh… huh… huh…" Ally stammered, waving her hand fast. "It's more like… like making love… I want to make love with him…"

"My advice. Play the seduction card. Be direct with him. Men like women with initiative."

"Oh… Okay…"

* * *

When Larry got home after work, Ally was waiting for him on the couch. She was wearing a cute baby doll she had found while shopping for the wedding cake. She obviously couldn't find any sexy maternity underwear but she had chosen a cute one with little flowers on it.

"Damn maternity clothes!" she thought. If she couldn't wear anything sexy, she would act sexy.

Larry opened the apartment door and just stood there with a tender smile on his lips.

"Hi, sweetie!" he said softly.

"Hello to you… man of my dreams," she replied, standing up and approaching him slowly.

She flashed a sexy smile at him which he responded to with a half smile.

"What's up?" he asked taking off his coat.

She came closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She softly rubbed her nose against his. He smiled brightly.

"I missed you…" she whispered in his ear.

"Same here…" he replied, his arms around her waist.

He put a soft kiss on her lips and she deepened it with a groan. He let his hands move from her waist down to her buttock. She felt him shiver.

"Oh… Am I wrong or you forgot to put your panties on?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"I took them off just on purpose."

She got back to the couch, where she replaced the cushion. Like she was expecting, Larry was following her every move. She bit her finger and turned back to look at him. His brown eyes were sparkling. He loosened his tie.

"How was my girl today?" he asked, trying to set his mind straight.

"Which one?"

"I mean the baby…" he said, taking a few steps closer.

"Oh!" Ally said, touching her stomach. "She's been fine… a little excited though… I think she's sleeping right now…"

"Oh…" Larry whispered. "Really?"

Now they were dangerously close.

"Really…" she simply said, taking off his glasses.

Larry bit his lower lip. He was tempted.

Sensuously, Ally whispered in his ear:

"Do we have to wait until the wedding night?"

"Oh… gosh…" Larry sighed.

Before Ally had the time to realize, he had his lips on hers and was pressing her against him. His hands were already under her baby doll. They made their way to the bedroom, touching, kissing, and laughing at the same time. They kept bumping into the walls before they stopped in the door way. Larry pressed Ally against it and ran his lips down her neck.

"This… this is just like old times…" Ally moaned, fighting to remove his belt.

Larry froze, trying to catch his breath. "Wait… you're pregnant!"

"So…" she said, now starting to unzip his pants.

"I… I can't…" Larry stammered, his cheeks turning red. "God! I forgot a second…"

He rubbed his forehead. Ally raised his chin with a finger.

"Larry… I am pregnant but that doesn't mean I don't have any sexual needs," she explained calmly. "I don't know if it's my hormones or something else… but right now, I'm feeling… very attracted to you… Oh! Larry you're a hottie!"

He blushed and looked back at the floor. She started to unbutton his shirt with expert fingers. He was trying to resist.

"Ally, I don't know… what if…"

She interrupted him with a passionate kiss.

"Mhmm…" he continued, pushing her away gently. "What if while making love… the baby grab my… my… my…"

She laughed.

"You're very funny…"

She pulled him into the bedroom and closed the door with a kick.

"Be careful!" Larry warned her, a protective hand covering her stomach.

"Larry… Stop being over protective! I'm not only a mother… I'm a woman and I WANT SEX."

"What's going on with me?" she thought, surprised by her own reaction. "Dirty Ally… Dirty…"

"Oh! Okay…" Larry said slowly, almost shocked to see Ally so affirmative. "I'm… not so used with hungry pregnant women… Hungry for food, yes… but… for sex…"

She bit his shoulder.

"Mhmm… Larry… I'm going to make on bite of you."

Larry giggled and finally put his arms around her waist.

"Satan!" he joked, "Get out of this body!"

"Now… Shush, Larry."

She pushed him down on the bed. He bursted out laughing.

Slowly, she made her baby doll slide down to the floor and stared gravely at him, waiting for his reaction. It was the first time he was seeing her naked since she was pregnant. He smiled tenderly.

"Tell me," she said with tears in her voice, "Am I huge?"

He sat on the bed. He was touched by that mix of sensuality and vulnerability coming out of Ally. He thought that she had never been so sexy and he could have a glimpse, just by the look in her eyes, of the little girl she used to be.

"Ally…" he said softly, his hands reaching the roundness of her stomach, his eyes intensely staring into hers. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

She smiled, feeling relieved. Then, he kissed her belly while caressing her back. She put a soft kiss on his hair. Carefully, he pulled her on him and leaned back on the bed.

They stood there a minute, their mouths a few inches from each other. Both smiled.

"So where were we…?" Ally asked.

"Mhmm… maybe the most interesting part…" Larry replied, his fingers caressing her breast.

"Oh… Now I remember…"

She groaned and responded to his kiss with passion. Larry tried take off the rest of his clothes but gave up since Ally wouldn't let go off him. She slid a hand under his boxers.

"Wait…" he said, raising a finger. "Let's just be careful with Anna."

"Oh!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "You… you! We were arguing for nothing… You just like to argue… that's the thing!"

He smiled with amusement. She tried to pinch him but he caught her hand in his and kissed it tenderly. That was all it took for Ally to get passionate again.

Then, they made love tenderly.

* * *

_Three days before the wedding._

"Larry… noooooooooo!" Ally begged, throwing her arms around him as he was getting some clothes out of the drawer. "Don't go, please!"

"Ally, sweetie! It's only for three days!" he said, kissing her cheek. "When we see each other, we'll have the rest of our lives together… Three days…"

"No…" she repeated, this time down on her knees.

Larry laughed. She was acting like a child sometimes but that was one of the things he loved about her.

"It's not working; Ally…" he said, helping her to get up. "Even if you decide to suck my toes… It won't work. I am going to that hotel room and we'll see each other on Saturday… in church…"

She rubbed her nose on his and smiled.

"You know I would suck your toes, don't you?" she whispered, with a suggestive smile. "I could be your slave… I could be very dirty…"

She bit a sensitive part of his neck which made him shiver.

"As much as I love the idea… I have to decline. I know how much you care about traditions… that's why I'm doing it, so in the morning before the wedding you'll be with your parents and your friends."

"Do you think I really care about it? I always thought that things had to go a certain way but…"

She pointed at her belly. She was now seven months pregnant. Larry smiled gently. He knew that Ally always had wanted to get married before having a child… She probably was planning to marry him before conceiving a baby but life had surprised them.

He rubbed her stomach and kissed her forehead softly. Ally slid a hand down his pajama pants.

"Whoa…" he said with surprise. "I'll never get used to your new appetite!"

"Don't you ever get used to it!" she warned, kissing him.

He responded to her kiss with passion but pushed her gently.

"Mhmm… Larry…"

"Ally… I have to tell you something. I hope you don't mind…"

"What is it?" she asked, kissing his chin.

"Tomorrow night… there's a bachelor party and the martini's bar. Richard and John are planning it… for me…" Larry said. "I wanted to tell you…"

"A… a bachelor party!" she said in a high voice. "Oh no!"

She stepped back and walked nervously around the room, a hand holding her stomach.

"I… I… I don't like it!" she stammered. "Guys partying… exotic dancers… alcohol… prostitutes…"

"What?!" Larry exclaimed.

Ally sighed. Larry could swear that she was on the edge of crying. He took her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. He was getting used to her emotional pregnant moods.

"What's the matter, Ally? It's just a party…"

"I just remembered Billy…" she said with tears in her eyes. "When he had his bachelor party, he slept with a prostitute; all of his friends had her, even the judge!"

Larry caught her face between his hands and forced her to look at him.

"Ally… I'm not Billy. Please trust me," he said softly.

"I know… I know…" she managed to say.

He kissed her eyes gently.

"Besides…" he added, with a half smile. "What would I do with a prostitute when I already have a hot, hungry for sex… future wife?"

Both laughed and Ally smiled widely.

"Do you really have to go… right now?" she asked in his ear.

"It depends… what do you have in mind?"

She put a sensuous kiss on his lips.

"You know what I have in mind…" she said with her sexiest smile.

Larry nodded and she helped him take off his t-shirt. They struggled with it a little, between kisses and laughs. She ran her nails down his chest with a groan.

"Larry, you're so yummy…" she mumbled in his neck.

"What? What did you say?" he asked with a laugh.

"You heard me…"

They both fell on the bed… carefully.

* * *

The door bell rang and Renee ran to answer. She found Ling and Nelle on the doorstep.

"Hi!" they all exclaimed.

"Where's the future bride?" Nelle asked with a rare smile on her lips.

"I'm already bored!" Ling complained, following Renee and Nelle in the kitchen.

"Ally is in her room, preparing herself," Renee explained, ignoring Ling's comment.

She helped them with the gifts and plates they had. Elaine was already laying on the couch, looking pale.

"What's going on with her?" Ling asked with a disgusted tone.

"I'm sick…" Elaine replied weakly. "I have diarrhea."

"Gross! Now we're all going to be sick because of you!" Ling said.

"Shut up, Ling!" Elaine replied back. "I just couldn't miss Ally's wedding shower!"

She rubbed her stomach with a grimace.

The door of Ally's bedroom opened and she walked out with suggestive moves. All the girls whistled with admiration. She was wearing a sexy nightgown… almost transparent.

"Too bad Larry isn't there!" Renee said with a laugh.

"You look great, Ally!" Nelle admitted. "Is this your wedding nightgown?"

Ling was speechless… good thing!

"Yes it is…" Ally said, walking proudly towards them.

"Then why are you wearing it tonight?" Elaine asked, paler than ever.

"I heard that there will be a male dancer…" Ally answered, winking at Elaine.

Elaine got up in a rush and ran to the bathroom. They heard her throw up in the washbasin.

"Ooops!" Nelle said. "Elaine throwing up when we're talking about eroticism… she must be really sick!"

They all laughed.

* * *

_**Larry's bachelor party at the Martini's bar.**_

"I can't believe it… this is my second bachelor party!" Larry said, drinking a bloody Caesar. "And the last one!"

Richard offered him a cigar and stared at the exotic dancer that was doing a show on the stage.

"I want to get married!" Richard said.

Larry laughed. He knew that Richard Fish wasn't the husband type. John was silent on the chair next to them. He had barely talked.

"Do you ever want to get married, John?" Larry asked, intrigued.

John looked surprised by the question. Larry saw a touch of animosity pass by in John's eyes but it disappeared.

"If I ever find the right girl," John said with a sigh.

Richard whistled at the exotic dancer and pointed at John with his finger. She made her way to him.

"Oh noooooo!" John exclaimed. "Po… pokip…"

But the exotic dancer was already pulling him to her. Why a shy smile John tried to follow her moves.

* * *

_**Back at the apartment.**_

"Hmm… that cake is really good!" Ally said, licking her fingers. "Can I have another piece… please?"

"Another one?" Renee asked with surprise. "You already had two!"

"Mhmm… I miss Larry."

Nelle and Ling raised their eyebrows. Elaine moaned painfully on the couch. She was starting a fever.

"Ally is hungry for food and for Larry…" Renee explained to the others. "So basically, it's one or the other."

"I had both one time," Ally admitted with a wide smile.

She told them that she and Larry had 'fun' with a piece of wedding cake she had brought home for testing a week ago.

* * *

_**Back at the bar.**_

John was now at his eighth drink. And exotic dancer was sitting on his knees and Richard was taking pictures.

"Do you want to marry me, Anastasia?" John asked the dancer.

She laughed and kissed his cheek. She moved to Larry and wrapped her arms around his neck. She touched his arms, felt his muscles.

"You're a hottie!" she said to Larry.

He blushed and looked back at John. He had the feeling that John was a bit jealous of him because he was staring at him with harsh eyes. Richard, feeling tension in the air took a bundle of money out of his pocket and hung it to the nose of the exotic dancer.

"Mmm… Smell it!" he said to the dancer.

Then she sat down on Richard's knees. Larry looked back at John. He was drinking again.

* * *

_**Back at the apartment.**_

_Sexbomb, sexbomb  
You're a sexbomb  
You can give it to me  
When I need to come along_

All the girls were screaming except Elaine who was still lying on the couch. Ally was dancing with the male dancer and singing along.

_Sexbomb, sexbomb  
You're my sexbomb  
And baby you can turn me on_

Nelle joined them and Ally sat on the couch next to Elaine, exhausted.

"Ally… I am dying…" Elained moaned.

* * *

_**Back in the bar's toilets.**_

Larry knocked on the toilet's door.

"John? Are you okay?"

John opened the bathroom door and yelled to Larry:

"I envy you and… I hate you!"

Larry entered.

"John, come on! You'll be my best man in a few days…" he said calmly.

"You have everything!" John said, his face turning almost green.

John had been drinking way too much.

"You need some fresh air, buddy," Larry said, helping John to walk out of the bathroom.

John tried to point a finger at Larry but his hand fell weakly.

"Just take care of her…" John said before passing out.

* * *

Ally, Renee, Nelle and Ling were already in the emergency room when they saw Larry and Richard enter.

"What are you doing here?" Ally asked, surprised to see Larry.

She threw her hands around him and kissed him like he had been away for weeks.

"Mhmm…" Larry tried to speak.

"John passed out… too much alcohol," Richard explained. "Too many sexy chicks dancing around can be as much as intoxicating. Bygones!"

Ally ignored Richard's remark and smiled at Larry.

"Poor John…" she sighed. "I hope he's okay…"

"And what are you doing here?" Larry asked, his hand gently touching Ally's stomach.

"It's Elaine… Appendicitis."

"Ooh! That hurts!" Richard said.

The girls stood up to follow Richard. Ally put a soft kiss on Larry's lips.

"I missed you!"

He kissed her back.

"I missed you too…" he said, making way out of her arms. "Two more days… Now, I have to go."

He walked away and winked at her. She sighed.

"No wonder I'm crazy about you Larry… You always play hard to get!"

He waved goodbye and before he got out, she read on his lips:

"I love you, Ally."

She touched her stomach and giggled to herself. She had never felt so happy.

* * *

Renee pressed her ear against the bathroom door. She could hear Ally panting heavily. Jeannie McBeal, Ally's mother was walking nervously around the room.

"Ally… You're going to get out of there NOW!" her mother yelled for the thousandth time in the last two hours.

"Ally… Please open the door, sweetie!" Renee begged in a more pleasant tone.

"No…" she heard Ally moan.

"Ally! This is silly! You're going to be late for your own wedding!" Jeannie said with exasperation. "I can't believe it! I can't believe it! You're acting like a child!"

"Could you leave me alone with Ally a minute?" Renee asked her, patiently.

Jeannie McBeal nodded and went back to her husband who was trying to deal with the impatient hairstylist and photographers. They were all waiting for Ally to get out of the bathroom. The wedding was in less than an hour.

"Ally, sweetie… your mother isn't here… please open the door."

Renee heard the door click and then rapid footsteps inside the bathroom. She entered carefully, raising her maid of honor blue dress to her knees. Ally was curled up on the floor, next to the bath. She was staring into space, breathing heavily, a hand rubbing her stomach. She was still in her pajama.

"Are you okay, Ally?" Renee asked concerned.

"I, huh… I…" she stammered, waving her hands nervously. "I can't do it! I can't! I don't want to get married anymore!"

Renee smiled. It was just like Ally to freak out on her wedding. She had been waiting for this day all her life and had high expectations about it. Renee sat down on the toilet seat.

"Ally… Everything will be alright!" she reassured her, stroking her hair. "You and Larry will be just fine!"

"Oh! Oh!" she gasped. "Me and Larry… oh! It sounds so weird!"

"Ally!"Renee laughed. "You've been together for more than a year!"

Ally shook her head in despair and explained her worries without taking the time to breathe:

"I'm… I'm scared… I'm really, really, really scared right now! What if while walking down the aisle, I trip on my dress and fall on the floor… I can already see people laughing and someone taping it for that funniest videos crap show… I… I… I'm scared that Larry changes his mind. Maybe when he'll see me he'll think I'm some kind of white elephant wearing a wedding gown. Oh! What's the idea of getting married when I'm almost eight months pregnant? What's the idea of getting married at all?"

She gasped for air and continued:

"And… and you see… I'm not sure that I'm the wife type of woman. I'm not sure that this is a good idea after all… I don't want to get married."

Renee got up and started to undo her hair.

"What are you doing?" Ally asked out of her thoughts.

"You want to call it off? Fine! You want me to call Larry for you?"

"No! No! No!" Ally said, giggling nervously.

Renee helped her stand up. She knew how to make Ally get back to reality. She saw Ally's eyes filled with tears. Renee hugged her for comfort.

"It's just that…" Ally tried to say. "It's too good to be true… Larry is too good to be true."

She smiled through her tears. Renee kissed her on the cheek.

"You love him, he loves you… that's all that matters," she said.

"Yeah…" Ally sighed.

They hugged again.

"Hurry up, Ally Paul… Your future husband is waiting for you!" Renee said with a huge smile.

Ally froze.

"Oh, huh… huh… I haven't thought about that…" she stammered, getting nervous again. "I'm… I'm losing my name… I'm losing my identity…"

Renee rolled her eyes. Ally was freaking out again.

"You'll always be Ally McBeal to me…" Renee said, suddenly feeling sad. "And you'll always be my favorite roommate!"

Ally started to sob immediately and threw her arms around the neck of her friend. Renee had just bought a new apartment. She had started to move her things out a few days ago. Both hugged tightly.

"Now… we have to go before you make me ruin my make-up…" Renee said, a tear in the eye.

* * *

Larry was walking nervously down the church's aisle. For the third time, the minister was asking about the bride. He could see John staring at him with concern.

For a moment, the image of Sam went through his mind. He could almost imagine him, wearing a cute tuxedo and smiling at him. No wonder, if Sam was still alive, he would be happy to see his father getting married to Ally. Larry got the feeling that Sam was somewhere just next to him… Maybe he really was.

He smiled to himself.

All the friends and family were there. Larry had his mother with him and some old friends. Mostly, the church was full of Ally's friends and relatives. They had been waiting for an hour now.

Larry sat down next to John, with a nervous sigh.

"Do you think she made up her mind?" Larry asked.

"Ally?" John said with a smile. "Nah… she won't! She's probably just a little nervous… Besides, she's been waiting for this moment all her life…"

"I'm so in love with her…" Larry whispered, almost to himself.

* * *

Outside in the limousine, Ally was trembling.

"Sweetie, you're going to be just fine," her father said, rubbing her hand gently.

"Get yourself together," her mother said," It's not like you're about to bungee jump!"

Ally shot a killer look at her mother. She wasn't helping.

"Ally… Larry is waiting for you," Renee added.

Ally raised her head and stared at them with surprise.

"Larry…" she said in a breath, like she had just remembered him. "Oh… Larry!"

She smiled.

"I'm getting married!" she exclaimed.

* * *

John and Larry felt some high excitation going through the air. People were starting to agitate in their seats.

"She's here… she's here…" Larry heard some people say.

His heart missed a beat. He stood up, his eyes focused on the church entrance. The bride march began and he suddenly felt nervous. He had been married before. What a mistake he had made. Another man in the same position would take it almost casually but Larry wasn't prepared for his own reaction when he saw Ally appear on the doorstep of the church. He knew that she was the one he had been waiting for. It was to be with her that was why he had always believed in marriage.

Ally was holding her father's arm like she was scared to fall on the floor which Larry found really cute. Ally was like that sometimes… like a little girl, unsure and scared to face the real world.

But as she was moving forward down the aisle, Larry thought she had never been so beautiful. She looked like an angel to him. She was wearing an empire white gown, her veil softly resting on her shoulders. Larry was delighted that Ally had chosen a dress that didn't hide the roundness of her stomach. She was amazing. She had white flowers in her curly hair but what made Larry's heart beat faster were her eyes. They were sparkling like stars.

She kissed her father on the cheek and Larry slowly moved towards her, his eyes into hers. When he finally smiled at her and took her hand, tears started to fill her eyes. He noticed that her lips were trembling a little.

"Ally… Are you okay?" he asked softly.

With affection she thought she would never get enough of that same question he was always asking. She would hear it every day, for the rest of her life.

"I'm more than okay…" she said with the brightest smile.

* * *

Ally and Larry were dancing cheek to cheek as people were watching their first dance as a married couple.

"I can't believe I just got married with the biggest ass I've ever met!" Ally said with a giggle.

"Oh!" Larry let out, raising his eyebrows and then remembering. "Okay… Are you talking about my butt or you still see me like the first time we met? Because, if you're talking about my butt, I don't understand it since you seem very fond of it… and sometimes when we make love, you just grab it like it's a lifebuoy."

"You're nuts!" she exclaimed.

"I like that one better," he replied, kissing her on the forehead.

She smiled.

"Do you remember the big deal about our first kiss?" Ally asked.

Larry rolled his eyes.

"Oh, what a nightmare!" he exclaimed.

"Hey!"

She slapped him on the shoulder which made him laugh.

"We kind of started slow…" Larry admitted. "Just like our first night together."

"Mhmm… yeah…" Ally responded, rubbing her nose sensuously against his cheek. "I remember all of it… it was amazing."

She put a kiss near his lips and their "public" started to cheer up.

"I think they're expecting something…" Larry said in her ear.

"Hmmm… like what?" Ally asked with a shiver.

"Like a passionate kiss between the bride and the groom…"

"And I suppose you're also expecting it…"

"You're damn right, Mrs. Paul."

And through the cheering and the applause, their lips reached into a passionate kiss. They immediately felt the baby kicking in Ally's stomach. Both bursted out laughing and kissed again.

* * *

Later that evening, men were all waiting to dance with the bride. The first one was the best man… John.

"Ally, you did it!" John said, smiling.

"I know…" she sighed. "Who would have thought that I would get married one day?"

"I did…" he said with emotion.

She hugged him tightly.

"I'm happy for you Ally… really. You and Larry deserve each other."

Ally kissed him on the cheek which made John blush a little.

"John… did I ever tell you that you're the sweetest man on earth?"

"Huh… no…"

"Deep down in my heart, I know that you'll find someone to love you," Ally said softly.

"I hope so…"

They continued to dance, happy that their friendship was still important to the other.

* * *

John caught the garter. He blushed with surprise and started immediately to look around him like he was searching the room for a possible wife-to-be. On the other hand, "getting rid" of the bouquet was a total disaster. Ally threw it away behind her, as brides usually do. The bouquet went to Ling.

"Waaahhhh!" Ling screamed in terror.

Then she threw it up in the air and Nelle caught it with a disgusted look on her face.

"Yuck… yuck!" Nelle screamed, throwing the bouquet up in the air yet again.

Renee finally caught it with a huge smile on her face.

* * *

Later, Ally took a moment to sit down with her friends. Nelle had been drinking a lot but she seemed happy. Renee and Georgia had been singing and dancing, Ling stared and people wondering what the hell was wrong with them and Elaine was calm, recovering from her appendicitis operation.

"Ally McBeal got married… Unbelievable!" Nelle said.

"Isn't that amazing?" Renee replied.

"I love weddings!" Georgia sighed.

"I'm bored!" Ling said.

"I can't believe it!" Elaine said. "There's this bunch of hunks… and I'm just sitting here because of that damn appendi… Oh! I hate to look at the menu without having a little dessert!"

The music stopped and Ally turned to see what was happening. She saw Larry on the scene, discussing with the musicians.

"Oh… no!" she gasped. "He's going to sing and… I'll ruin my make-up!"

Larry sat down at the piano. He cleared his throat.

"Hmm… Ally knows how much music is a kind of therapy to me. It is, to most of us, in fact. Ally and I have been through some moments together where only music could allow us to express our true feelings… Well, tonight I may need music."

Ally shook her head nervously and when Larry smiled at her, tears started to fall from her eyes.

"Oh… gosh…" she sighed.

"Honey… I wrote you another song," Larry said with the sweetest smile.

_Never knew I could feel like this  
Like I've never seen the sky before  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
Every day I love you more and more  
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings  
Come back to me, and forgive everything  
Seasons may change, winter to spring  
But I love you until the end of time_

Tears were now falling on Ally's stomach which she had a protective hand on. Before she had the time to realize, she was up and her father was guiding her to the scene. She sat next to Larry, her eyes glancing at him with love and adoration.

_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace  
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste  
It all revolves around you  
And there's no mountain too high  
No river too wide  
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side  
Storm clouds may gather  
And stars may collide  
But I love you until the end of time_

Ally touched his cheek tenderly and he smiled to her.

_Oh, come what may, come what may  
I will love you, I will love you  
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place_

When the song ended, Larry turned to her and softly kissed her lips. Then he leaned his head down and dropped a kiss on her belly. They didn't see all the woman who were crying, they didn't notice that people were cheering and applauding warmly. They only had eyes for each other.

* * *

"Whoa!"

"I'm heavy… am I?" Ally asked, seeing Larry grimacing.

They were on the doorstep of their apartment. Larry was carrying her in his arms.

"No… no…" he tried to reassure her.

"Okay… let me down."

Carefully, he sat her down on the floor.

"Here we are…" she said.

"So…"

He flashed a sexy smile at her and she immediately started to undo his bow tie.

"Larry… I don't know how I did it… You look fabulous in a tux!"

"Oh really?" he asked, bringing his lips to her neck.

"I wanted to ask you to join me in the reception's toilet…" she added, unbuttoning his shirt. "But I'm not that dirty, am I?"

"Mhmm… no…" he moaned, a hand under her gown caressing her thighs.

They kissed deeply and groaned at the same time.

"Gosh, Ally you were so right… Those three days apart were killing me," Larry sighed.

She kissed him back again and slid a hand to his pants. She stepped back with an amused smile.

"Now… you're killing me," Larry whispered, looking at her with passion in his eyes. "You're so sexy in that wedding gown."

"You haven't seen me in my nightgown."

He bit his lower lip and pulled her closer to him. This time, the roles were reversed. Larry was now the hungry one.

"Don Juan…" she whispered in his ear, "Just let me put on my nightgown and light some candles."

"Okay…" Larry sighed. "Just don't take too long. I'm dying to make love to you Mrs. Paul."

Ally shivered with pleasure. She winked at him and went to her room.

"Give me a minute!"

Larry went to the kitchen. Whistling happily, he prepared two glasses of champagne and cut a big piece of wedding cake that Ally had bought just for them. He smiled, wondering if Ally had a new fetishism with cakes… As long as he was in that fantasy, he had nothing to complain about.

A few minutes later, he joined her in their room. There were candles all over the place. Larry could barely hide a laugh when he saw Ally. She had fallen asleep on the bed, a delighted smile on her lips. She was wearing a very sexy nightgown which made her look very desirable to him. He sighed, thinking that he would have to wait to caress those curves he was seeing through the fabric.

He laid down behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He let a hand rest on her belly, feeling how it was warm and soft. He felt the baby moving a little and tears of happiness came into his eyes. He buried his nose into her hair and tightened his embrace.

"I love you, Ally," he said softly.

* * *

_**A few weeks later**_

Ally was half asleep, dreaming of Larry, smelling Larry, feeling Larry's hand rubbing her arm gently… Larry was everywhere in her dreams, in her bed…

She smiled and felt his embrace. Her eyes closed, she put a kiss somewhere. Was it his shoulder or his neck, she didn't know. She buried her fingers in his hair. She heard a "mhmm" and felt his lips on her forehead. Half way between dreams and reality, they began to kiss, first tenderly but then more intense. Larry's "mhmm" sounded more like a groan than anything else. Ally slowly woke up and opened her eyes for a second only to notice Larry capturing her lips again. It was like paradise…

Suddenly, the alarm clock started with a joyous tune:

_Deck the halls with boughs of holly,  
Fa la la la la, la la la la  
Tis the season to be…_

Larry pushed the off button with a sigh. Ally kissed his shoulder and looked up at his face. He was now staring at the ceiling.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern.

"Yeah…" he mumbled.

For weeks, they had been avoiding the subject of Christmas. Ally had decided to put aside how much she enjoyed the holiday season for respect and love for Larry. So there was no Christmas tree in their apartment, no decorations. She remembered last year, when Larry had Christmas blues because he wasn't near his son. Now, it must feel terrible….

"Do you miss him?" Ally asked softly, already knowing the answer.

Larry nodded with tears in his eyes. She pulled him to her and hugged him tightly. He started to sob on her shoulder and she rubbed his back gently. It was the first time in months he was letting himself show some sadness about the death of his son.

"Shhh… Larry… It's okay…" Ally said softly, kissing the top of his head.

She could feel his tears falling on her skin. She tightened her embrace and started to rock him softly.

"I'm here with you, Larry… you're not alone…" she whispered, leading one of his hands to her stomach. "We're with you."

Larry nodded again. She caught his face between her hands and kissed his lips tenderly. He smiled weakly but Ally could see some hope in his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck. For a moment, she felt Larry's hand caressing her belly gently like the baby's presence was comforting him, but soon, he fell asleep. Ally ran her fingers down the red marks he had on his cheeks. She covered his hand with hers and felt the baby moving.

* * *

The following days, Larry became even more depressed. He took a few days off from work, taking most of his time to watch TV with an absent look on his face. Since Ally was on her maternity break, she could witness how sad he was. He didn't shave, had trouble sleeping and sometimes, he would fall asleep on the couch, his arms grabbing the cushion. Ally had a bad feeling about this. She was feeling helpless and alone. Her pregnancy was at its end and she was even more impatient and insecure. Larry was still caring with her but she knew that he was going through a rough time.

"Okay, that's enough!" she said one night. "I'm not going to let you go like this, Larry."

"I'm just going through a bad patch… Christmas time, you know…" he explained with a weak smile.

"But Larry… Christmas is in a few days. I know that we're trying to act like this isn't happening but…"

He stood up and faced her.

"What do you expect, Ally? You want us to sing Christmas carols like we did last year? Fine! Let's go!"

He walked towards the piano and sat down with a sigh of exasperation.

"Huh… huh…"

She shook her head nervously.

"You really do think that everything can settle like magic. It just can't work all the time! Ally… Sometimes, you're just thinking like a child!"

Ally's cheeks turned red.

"Are… are you criticizing me?"

"No…" Larry said, approaching her. "I'm sorry if it sounded harsh… that wasn't my intention."

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, walking to her bedroom. "And… and go back to Philadelphia!"

"What?" Larry exclaimed, astounded. "Ally…"

She slammed the door behind her. Larry understood that he had to sleep on the couch again.

* * *

She woke up in the middle of the night, sweating. She touched the other side of the bed. Larry wasn't there. She got up, a hand supporting her back.

"Larry?"

She went to the living room, checked the kitchen. He wasn't there either. She started to panic.

"Larry? Larry?"

She already knew that she would have no answer. She sat on the couch and bursted into tears. She'd never been so worried.

"Where is he? What if something happened to him? What if he had left me again?" she kept asking in despair.

She thought of calling Renee but it was 3 am. She laid down on the couch, she just couldn't sit because her back was aching too much. She looked at the clock and told herself: "If he isn't back at 7 am, I'll call the police." Sobbing and panting, she finally fell asleep and had nightmares in which Larry was dying from a car crash and committing suicide.

"Ally… sweetie, wake up!"

She felt a soft hand caressing her hair and opened her eyes. Larry was there, shaved and looking in good shape.

"Wh… where were you goddamnit?" she asked with a mix of relief and anger.

"I just went for a walk," he explained.

"In the middle of the night?" she asked, standing up carefully. She looked at the clock, it was 5 am. Larry hadn't been gone for long.

"I… I was so worried," she cried.

He took her in his arms and rubbed her back softly. He kissed the top of her head.

"Honey… I just needed to take a walk and think about stuff."

Stuff meaning… Sam.

"I was worried!" Ally repeated again, stepping back. "I… I'm really mad at you now!"

"Ally, it was just a walk!"

"Don't you ever do that again, Larry Paul!" she warned him, a finger pointing.

"What? Go for a walk?"

"You know what I'm saying…"

"No… I don't."

She rushed to the bathroom. "Where are you going?" he asked, following her.

"To the bathroom! Do I have to ask for your permission TO PEE?" she asked back, yelling. "Now… leave me alone!"

She slammed the door and Larry sighed.

"Ally…" he said, after a deep breath.

"Aaaaahhh! Damnit! Damnit! Give me a break!!!" she screamed behind the door.

"Ally… You're overreacting!"

She opened the door with full force, a hand on her stomach.

"My… my… my water just broke…" she said weakly.

Larry smiled sweetly at her.

"Okay… this is it."

She shook her head.

"No! No! No! This is not IT! Be… because right now I'm supposed to be mad at you… So I'm just going to slam that door back and sulk a little. Okay?"

"Ally, sweetie…" Larry said calmly, holding the door. "I have to take you to the hospital right now."

"Oh…" she gasped.

* * *

They were in the hospital for about three hours. Larry was rubbing her stomach gently.

"I can't wait to see her!" he said, dropping a kiss on her belly.

"I love you, Larry…" she whispered.

"I love you too."

Ally pushed his hand away and grabbed her stomach with both.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" she screamed. "What the hell was that?!"

"A contraction," Larry said, raising his shoulders.

"And how do YOU know?" she screamed. "AAAAAaaahHHHH!"

"Huh…"

* * *

Two hours later, Larry was massaging her back.

"Lower… lower… mhmm… there! Larry, you're so sweet!"

He kissed her cheek and she immediately got tense.

"AAAAHHHHH! It hurts!" she screamed.

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern. "Is it another one? A stronger one? Okay, breathe with me!"

"Shut up, Larry!"

"Okay…" he said with a smile.

He continued to rub her back.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH! Get your hands off me, PIG!" she screamed.

"Okay…" he responded with patience, withdrawing his hands.

Ally pulled him back to her and started to cry in his arms.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry. It just hurts too much."

"It's okay…" he said softly, kissing her forehead. "You're doing just fine!"

"Larry…" she moaned. "Larry… I wanted to go home. Take me home please. Maybe it could wait a little. I'm not ready for it…. AAAHHHHH!!!!!"

* * *

In the delivery room, a few hours later.

"Push, Ally! PUSH!" Larry was repeating over and over, a hand stroking her wet hair.

"AAAAHHHHH! I can't! I can't… I want to go home! I want to go hoome!"

Larry kissed her forehead.

"Larry… I… I don't want to have a baby after all. I don't need to be a mother to be happy. I've got you."

Larry half smiled and rubbed her stomach gently.

"Hmmm, okay…" he said with a nod. "I understand but… will you bite me if I tell you that it's a little too late to change your mind?"

"Okay… Mrs. Paul. Push!" the doctor said.

She pushed again, holding Larry's hand. He grimaced with pain when he heard his own fingers cracking.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!"

Ally grabbed Larry by the collar of his shirt.

"This is what I get for one night of ecstasy with you, Larry Paul. AAAHHHH!" she screamed. "Well… listen to me, YOU JERK. Don't expect to have sex with me ever… AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH… AGAIN!"

"Push!" the doctor said again and to reassure Larry he added: "Don't worry, they're all saying that. A month after the delivery, they're all asking for sex!"

Ally pointed a finger at the doctor.

"I'm going to sue you for that reply!" she screamed. "AAAAHHHH!"

"Ally…" Larry said, covering her mouth with a hand.

"Another push… Good!"

"AAAAHHHH!"

"Okay… I see the head," the doctor said.

"I want to see her… I want to see my baby!" Ally cried.

"One more push and that's it!"

Ally pushed again, her face turning red by the effort.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"

They heard silence for about two seconds and then a small cry made its way to their ears. Larry kissed Ally on the temple. His tears mixed with hers as they looked at their daughter. She was agitating her little arms with energy. The nurse quickly cleaned her and wrapped her in a soft cover. A moment after, she was in her mother's arms.

"Hi Anna…" Ally said softly.

She put a little kiss on her forehead and noticed that she had Larry's dark hair and his nose. She turned to look at him. He could barely hold back tears from his eyes. He touched her little hand and she immediately grabbed his finger.

"My girl…" he whispered with a soft smile. "Thank you, Ally."

He kissed her through their tears. There were no words to describe how they were feeling at this moment. She leaned her head against Larry's cheek and they both look with adoration at the little life their love had created. Then Larry said something that meant a lot:

"We are a family."

* * *

Three days later, Ally and Anna got out of the hospital and went home. Larry opened the door of the apartment with an excited look on his face, holding his daughter with the other arm. Ally entered and gasped.

"Oh! My…"

There was a giant Christmas tree in the middle of the living room. Under it was tons of presents. She looked at the kitchen. The table was set and she could see a big turkey on it. She turned to Larry. He was dropping soft kisses on Anna's forehead.

"Larry…" Ally sighed with contentment.

"Wait," he said, sliding the baby over on Ally's arm. "Give me a minute."

He went to the bedroom and Ally bursted out laughing when she saw him coming back a few minutes later.

"HO! HO! HO!"

He was wearing a Santa Claus costume and had a bag on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Ally laughed.

"Anything for my girls," he said behind his white beard as an explanation.

Both looked at their daughter. Anna was doing a little pout. They laughed.

"That thing she does with her lips… that's exactly you, Ally… when you're manipulating me."

"Nah!" she replied, slapping his shoulder.

She pulled down his beard and kissed him softly.

"I love you, Santa!" she said tenderly.

"I love you, Ally," he whispered, kissing her back and then leaning towards the baby. "And I love you, Anna."

Ally giggled and looked at the Christmas decorations.

"You didn't have to do this, Larry. Really… Anna is too little. She won't remember it."

Larry pulled down his beard again and flashed a bright smile at his wife and daughter.

"I will," he simply said.


	4. Chapter 4

**[ The Little Life of Anna Paul ]**

My name is Anna Paul. The full name is Anna Elizabeth Paul but I'm just going to say the second one in my head because it's difficult to say and my tongue seems too big in my mouth. I'm a big, big girl. I'm 4 years old. Mommy always claps her hands together when I show her how old I am with four fingers pointed at her. I can do a lot better than that and my Daddy knows it.

My Mommy's name is Ally Paul. Sometimes, my Daddy calls her Ally McBeal but I don't know why. It happens when he's a little angry at her. He goes: "Would you listen to me, Ally McBeal?" He had to put a hand on his mouth because there's a bad word coming out. Daddy is never really angry at her. It's just that she pouts like me and he hates that. When they get into a fight and I'm listening, Daddy turns to me and winks his eye. Then I know it's not a real fight.

My Daddy is a lawyer and my Mommy is one too. Daddy is the greatest lawyer in the world. I know it. He always wins. When I'm big, I'm going to be a great lawyer too. Daddy says that we could open a big firm along with Mom. Paul, Paul & Paul. That sounds great!

Mommy is the best when it comes to inventing stories. My favorite is the one with the unicorn. She says that she met on in real life and I believe her because there are stars in her eyes when she tells me about it. Mom believes in magic just like I do. She knows that I'm not telling lies about the monster in my closet. I think she's scared of him too. One night after a bad dream, she comes into my room with a baseball bat and hits the monster on the head. He falls asleep but I know that he's still there waiting…

One day, we are cleaning my room when Spidey the spider comes out from under my bed. I scream and Mommy screams too. AAAahahhhh!! When Daddy enters my room we are both jumping on my bed afraid of Spidey. He wants to eat us alive.

"What's going on?" Daddy's asking, rolling his eyes.

"DADDY! The spider is there! Help!" I scream again, louder. My scream makes him step back.

Mommy is waving her hands in the air and gasping. I take a look at her and do the same thing.

"HELP!" she screams.

Daddy looks around the floor. I can see that he's smiling. Nothing scares him; he's the most courageous man on earth.

"Girls," he sighs, "There's no spider."

He walks around the room and Mommy growls with her mouth closed.

"Larry…" Mommy says between her teeth. "Do something."

Spidey the spider is still there. He opens his mouth and we can see his sharp teeth. His tongue is licking his lips, like he wants to eat us.

"AHHHH!" I scream.

"AHHHH!" Mom screams.

Daddy looks scared a second but I know that he's not scared one bit.

"Where is it?" he asks, his eyes open, looking everywhere.

"Over here," Mom and I exclaim, pointing in different directions.

Daddy follows the direction I'm pointing and he plunges at Spidey the Spider. When I say that he's courageous I'm not kidding. Spidey is quick but Daddy is quicker. He holds the spider and squeezes its body from one side to the other. He lifts him up in the air and bangs his head on the floor. BANG! BANG! BANG! As soon as the spider flees back under the bed, I get jump down and run into Daddy's arms.

"You okay, pumpkin?" he asks, kissing my forehead.

"You saved us!" I said, hugging him tight.

"Well… that wasn't hard."

He lifts me up on his shoulders. He's so strong. Mommy approaches. Her smile is bright like the sun. It's always like that when she smiles to Daddy.

"Mhmm… thank you, Larry."

She kisses him on the cheek and I feel a little jealous. She tilts her head to one side and does something with her lips. I don't understand.

"You're my hero," she says again.

"Mine too!" I tell him, my arms around his neck.

Daddy is smiling back to Mommy. His eyes are sparkling like the stars. He turns his head a little and I feel his cheek against my cheek.

"Anna? Would you like to sleep at Auntie Renee's place?" he proposes, making me rock back and forth.

Auntie Renee is the best. When I sleep at her place, she always gives me candies. We watch movies until it's very, very late and I eat popcorn until my belly is about to explode. When my parents are taking me to Auntie Renee's it means that they want to clean the house. Especially the kitchen.

"We could… huh… clean the table," Mommy says, winking at Daddy.

"Hmm… yeah…" Daddy says with a little laugh. "And the couch too. It's been a long time."

I nod my head even if I don't understand. The couch is clean but they like it very, very clean.

"Okay. I want to go see Auntie Renee," I say finally.

Mommy squeals. She smiles at Daddy. She's so excited about cleaning the house. It's her favorite thing to do. Daddy replaces his glasses with a shy look. I think that he likes cleaning too but he stays silent.

* * *

Did I say that I absolutely love my Daddy? He's the best daddy in the whole world. Sometimes, when I look at him I feel my heart filled with love for him. He looks into my eyes too. Our eyes have the same color. If our eyes are the same maybe they are talking without words. Sometimes, his eyes are filled with tears when he looks at me. He tells me about my big brother Sam who's in heaven. He says that I remind him a lot of Sam. I don't like it when he's sad. I have to drop kisses everywhere on his face to make him smile. It's always working and he says: "I love you, Anna Paul." Then, I know that he feels okay.

When I sneak up into my parents' bed at night after a nightmare, I find a small place between them and hug Daddy really tight. He always smiles. He knows that I'm there. He wraps his strong arms around me and I fall asleep right away. Daddy is there to protect me.

Daddy is also the most handsome man in the world. I love everything about him. Each morning, I like to watch him shave. I handle the bottle of cream in my hand and help him to put it on his chin. The first time, I thought that it was whipped cream so I made him taste a little bit of it. He didn't like it. I don't think it would taste any better with sugar.

When Daddy is done with the shaving, I help him choose a shirt and a tie. He says that I have an eye for clothes but when he comes out of the bedroom Mommy is laughing hard. I'm not sure why.

"Larry Paul!" she says, giving him a cup of coffee. "Are you going to court dressed like that?"

"Of course!" he always says, smiling at me.

Before he goes, I have to tell him not to forget his glasses. I'm the one putting them on his nose and fixing them. Then he hugs me tightly. I feel a pinching in my heart when I look at him. I kiss his nose and promise to myself that when I'm an adult, I'll marry him.

He then raises up and kisses Mommy softly on the lips. She's the only one kissing him on the lips.

"Bye Larry…" Mommy says.

Sometimes their cheeks become very red when they look back at me. It's like they are wearing make-up or something like that. Daddy waves goodbye and I know that Mommy and I have to hurry because I'm going to the kindergarten and she's going to work. Soon I'll spend a day at her office. I can't wait to see Uncle John and his frogs. Maybe Auntie Elaine will sing some songs with me in the unisex where there's more echo. I can't wait.

"Mommy!" I ask.

"Hmm… yeah?" she responds, brushing my brown hair straight.

"Can I go with you to work tomorrow?"

I can almost see her smile even if I'm not looking at her. She knows that I want to be a lawyer too… just like her… just like Daddy.

"Why not?" she says.

* * *

I wonder why it's called Cage & Fish. I don't see a fish. And a fish lives in an aquarium. I don't understand.

There's Uncle Richard talking. I cross my hands on my knees and smiles to him with all my teeth. "First up… yadda… yadda… yadda." I don't understand but I can fake it. I nod my head just like Mommy. I like Uncle Richard. He always buys me presents but he is a little odd. He thinks that I'm a little doggie. Sometimes, he walks on his knees when he sees me and he goes: "Go get your present." When I got it, he goes: "Good girl." Maybe he wants me to bark.

Mommy is writing something down on paper. Her other hand is in my hair brushing it back softly. Some words that I don't understand come out of her mouth. She keeps writing and then she turns her head to me and smiles. She does that same smile when she tucks me into bed and says: "I've been waiting for you all my life Anna Paul." Mommy loves me.

I don't know if I should take a look at them: Nelle and Ling. I know who they are. They are Cinderella's evil step sisters. One is Anastasia and the other is Drisella. Both are blonde but Mommy says that Chinese are not blond. She says that Ling used some paint in her hair. Yuck! When they're gonna take off their masks, I'm going to scream and lose my tongue. I am so scared of them. They almost killed Cinderella.

In front of me there's Uncle John. Every time, I come with Mommy to work he is there waiting for me. When we're out of the elevator he takes my hand and we go see his little frogs. He always says that his frogs are asking for me. He's the only man on earth who can talk to frogs. Maybe he's a frog too.

"Huh… Richard," Mommy says. "Aren't you forgetting a little something?"

"Oh! Next up, Donald Duck is suing Mickey Mouse for emotional distress."

I raise my head. Yippee!

"And I want my best lawyer on it. Anna."

Now I have a file on the table waiting for me. I open it. Aaaargh. Donald and Mickey are smiling at me. It's a coloring book. Aaaargh! I want real, real papers and a real, real pen just like Mommy has.

"What is it, sweetie?" Mommy is asking.

"That's okay."

* * *

Auntie Elaine is big, big, big. She has a big belly with a baby inside. I wonder why the baby isn't coming out to say "Hi" sometimes. Maybe he's just shy. Auntie Elaine is smiling with all her teeth at me. She likes to sing me songs. Sometimes I sing with her but I can't hear my own voice. When she sings, she hurts my ears. But I like her. She's very excited about the baby inside of her. She doesn't know how the baby will look, if he'll have red, black, or blond hair. She says: "I don't know who put it. It's going to be a baby-surprise!" I understand what she means. Maybe the little man on the box of Cracker Jack is the daddy. Oh… I'm going into Mommy's office. I have to ask Auntie Elaine about babies. I'm sure she'll say something.

"Come here, Anna," Mommy says.

I sit next to her on my little chair. I wish that I had a real, real adult chair just like in Daddy's office. I sigh and grab my pen. The phone is there on the desk. Mommy sees that I'm watching it.

"Is there any chance that you would like to call your father?" she's asking, smiling.

"That's okay," I just say.

But my eyes are focused on the phone and Mommy knows what I'm thinking.

"Just call him," Mommy whispers.

"Okay," I sigh. My heart is beating fast, fast.

I know Daddy's phone number by heart. I hear his voice. He says: "Isn't it my favorite daughter on the line?" I hope so. I say: "Daddy! It's me Anna!" He goes: "I know… I know. How could I forget?" I kiss the telephone and Mommy is laughing, her chin leaning on my head. I hand her the phone and hug her tight. She says: "Hmmm… yeah… we miss you, Larry. No really. I'm serious. Ahh… don't play innocent! You just like that girls are crazy about you."

* * *

I'm waiting for Daddy. He's supposed to get out of the elevator in a minute. I can't wait to see him. I replace my blue velvet dress. It's very, very new. I went shopping with Mommy and we ate pizza for lunch. I like my new dress. Mommy says that I look pretty. My hair is long, brown and a little curly. I have a little ribbon in my hair. The door is opening and there he is… My Daddy.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

He smiles, his eyes are sparkling.

"Hey," he says and lowers on his knees.

He puts his arms around me and I put my arms around his neck. He lifts me up in the air. I'm laughing and laughing.

"You look like a princess!" he exclaim, kissing my cheek.

Mommy comes out of her office and goes: "Larry! Larry! Larry!" I think she's imitating me.

* * *

I can't sleep. It's dark in my room. The only light I can see is coming out of Mommy and Daddy's room. I walk into the living room on the tips of my toes. I can be silent like a cat when I want to. I think that Mommy and Daddy aren't sleeping. I can hear them whispering. The door is closed. I turn the handle just like that detective Sherlock Holmes… Very slowly. I open the door to sneak one eye inside. Mommy is lying on the bed and Daddy is just next to her. I wonder if they can hear the music playing in my head. Daddy leans closer and puts his lips on Mommy's. Then I know. My heart goes BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

I knew it!

Daddy is prince Charming!

My heart is flying. I knew that Daddy was prince Charming. Prince Charming doesn't only live in books and on TV. My Daddy's one! Now, he's kissing Mommy, his lips are kissing her lips and I feel like I'm in heaven. I could dance right now there's something that I don't understand…

If Daddy is like prince Charming and Mommy's like Sleeping Beauty why is he kissing her again? She's not sleeping one bit. She does those little sounds with her mouth just like when we eat chocolate. "Mhmm… Larry…" it's like it's delicious. I don't see any chocolate. There are only Daddy's lips on Mommy's and there's Daddy's hand under Mommy's pajama top.

Mommy isn't Sleeping Beauty. Now, she's like a panther! She rolls on top of Daddy and bites his lips. She's going to hurt him! No! I'm scared, but Daddy isn't. I think he likes it because he's doing those sounds too. "Mhmm… mhm…" His hand is still under Mommy's pajama top. Mommy is helping Daddy to take his t-shirt off. I wonder why. He's a big boy; he's capable of doing it by himself. He smiles and brings his lips on Mommy. Mommy repeats his name: "Larry… mhmm… Larry… oh, Larry…" One of Mommy's hands is in Daddy's hair and the other… I'm not sure…

"Are you making babies?"

"Aaaaaahhhh!" they scream.

I see Daddy and Mommy breaking apart and look at me like I'm some kind of monster. I scared them!

"Huh… huh…" Daddy doesn't know what to say.

"Oh… huh…" Mommy doesn't know what to say either.

I have to repeat again. "Are you making babies?" I jump on the bed. Mommy is buttoning her pajama. Daddy is staring at his t-shirt. He puts it back on like he's embarrassed or something. It's not the first time I see him shirtless but now, he's shy.

"Y-you… you're n-not sleeping, A-Anna?" Mommy's asking.

"I'm awake."

"Oh, that… that's funny," she giggles. I don't think she finds it funny though.

I'm lying between them. I can hear them breathing like there's no air in the bedroom. I wonder if I should repeat the question. I don't know.

"I think you were making babies," I say.

I hear Mommy gasping. Daddy puts his glasses on. He always does that when he's about to say something.

"Huh… Anna…" he begins. "Sweetie…"

I raise my eyes up to look at him. He's shaking his head.

"Where did you get that idea?" he asks.

"Auntie Elaine told me."

"W… w… what?" Mommy tries to say.

"What?" Daddy goes at the same time. He's always better with words than Mommy is.

"Auntie Elaine told me how the baby got into her belly. She was in the bar, dancing with Cracker Jack but not the one on the box and…"

Mommy is laughing I think. Daddy is using his t-shirt to clean his glasses. He likes to clean the house and to clean his glasses. I continued with the rest of the story but I don't remember or understand, really.

"Ally, can I sue Elaine Vassal for corrupting our daughter?"

I don't understand that but Daddy's angry. I can see it by the look on his face. I don't want him to be mad at Auntie Elaine. I like her. She didn't do anything wrong. I just asked her about the baby. I'm just curious. I want to know.

"Where do babies come from?"

Silence. I can't hear a thing. Mommy isn't breathing, Daddy isn't either. I think they lost their tongues. Suddenly, both are talking over my head. I hear them whispering: "Go ahead, Larry." "No, you go head, Ally." "I can't! You've got experience with this. I don't." "Ally… women are supposed to know how to say those things. I'm not good with…" "Oh! This is embarrassing."

"Hello?" I ask.

"Sorry, pumpkin," Daddy says. He kisses my forehead.

Mommy is clearing her throat.

"Huh… Um… Anna," she begins. She plays nervously with my hair. "All of this begins when a man and a woman are in… in love."

"Yup!" Daddy is approving.

"They are so much in love that they have to show the other how much they are in love."

"Auntie Elaine says that it's like the urge to pee."

Daddy rolls his eyes and mumbles: "Ally? How many years for murder at the first degree?"

"Um… twenty, Larry," Mommy hides a smile and continues, "Those things are happening between two adults. They… they… huh…"

"Let me try," Daddy says, cleaning his glasses again. "Once upon a time there's half a baby living in a dark tunnel. The other half is living in a… a…"

"My gosh, Larry… I… I don't know," Mommy is nervous.

I think they're scared. They are looking at me with big eyes. I don't know what to say. My head seems heavy on the pillow anyway. I take Daddy's and Mommy's hands in mine.

"That's okay," I say. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Both sigh. They turn off the light. I feel one kiss on my right cheek: Daddy's kiss. Mommy's kiss follows on my left cheek. Maybe I don't need to know tonight. I hear Daddy saying: "She's growing up too fast." I feel so little in that bed between them. Mommy says: "I know, Larry… I know…" Soon, I fall asleep and go to the world of dreams where there are many babies coming out of flowers. They are waving at me. They are really cute.

I'm feeling happy…

* * *

I'm sitting next to Daddy on the couch. Mommy just came home from work. She enters and drops her coat on the floor. She's looking at me with surprise. Daddy and I are watching TV side by side.

"Hey, Ally," Daddy says, his hand reaching for the bowl of popcorn I'm holding.

"Hi Mommy."

Mommy's big eyes are still on me.

"What's that?" she asks, pointing at me with a finger.

"Oh!" Daddy says. "Your daughter… I guess."

"I mean on her nose!" she snaps back.

Daddy takes a look at me and smiles with pride.

"Glasses," he answers.

Mommy's mouth is hanging wide open. I don't believe she doesn't know what glasses are. Mine are red. Daddy ruffle up my hair and we both raise our heads to look at Mommy. She gasps and asks:

"What is she? Mini Larry?"

I can feel that she's not happy about my glasses but I don't know why. I like my new glasses. I kind of look more like Daddy.

"How come she's wearing glasses?" she insists.

"Mommy… we went to the glasses doctor and the doctor said that I needed them."

"Oh… sweetie… that's just…" she doesn't know what to say. "Larry," she grabs Daddy by the arm, he doesn't have a choice so he follows her to the kitchen.

I hold the bowl of popcorn and watch them leave the living room. The image of the TV is so much clearer than before with my glasses on. I'm going to wear them day and night and night and day.

"You did that on purpose, Larry. You let our daughter wear your glasses. Don't say anything… I-I saw you two having fun with your stupid glasses. And… and you let her wear them without objecting this is all your… your fault!"

Uh-oh, Mommy is mad. She tries to keep her voice down but it's rising and rising. I don't like it! Glasses are not stupid!

"Anna is four years old, Larry! I-I don't want my daughter to be blind before she gets her periods!"

Daddy talks calmly. I can't see them from where I'm sitting but I can tell that Mommy's upset.

"Now, Ally. What's the matter? Really… I was wearing glasses at the same age and after that my vision went okay."

"You ARE wearing glasses! Hel-lo?"

"Okay… it went okay for a while and then I started to need them again a few years later, so what?"

"So… so… so, don't you think that it's enough, Larry? I mean, she has your hair, your eyes, your nose, your toes… she's completely in love with you and-and… now, she's wearing glasses! May-maybe we should change her name to… to Lara or something! Larry and Lara… huh!"

"You're overreacting, Ally! Do you have your periods?"

Daddy is becoming mad too. I don't like it even if I don't really understand what they're saying. I hear a noise. Mommy throws something at Daddy. It doesn't look good!

"What really is the matter, Ally? Are you jealous of the relationship I have with my own daughter?"

"Well… well… maybe I am… I… You two are two of a kind and I feel left aside for whatever reason…"

"This is stupid!"

Daddy is really mad.

"That's what I feel, Larry."

"Well, maybe we should be four!"

Silence. I can only hear my hand grabbing popcorn. I stop moving. Something is up but I don't understand.

"Are you serious?" Mommy asks, her voice a little more soft.

"Yes, I am."

"That's a strange way to bring it up, Larry."

"You wanted me to bring it up… so I am," Daddy pauses, I hear some footsteps. I think he's still a little mad at Mommy. But he isn't really… I guess…

Then Daddy asks a question. Why do adults have to use words I don't understand? It's like a secret code or something.

"When are you ovulating?"

Mommy giggles and goes: "Huh… oh… hmm… Larry… huh… this… is… oh… I don't know…"

"Then tell me when you are so I'll make sure that you're not mad at me when it comes."

Here we go again. Mommy raises her voice.

"I'm not mad! I was not mad!"

"Oh sure…"

"Fine, you want us to be four, Larry Paul. We'll do it. Do you want an appointment or something? Should I write it in my agenda?"

It goes on and on. When Mommy comes back in the living room I'm crying, my face hiding under a cushion. It doesn't take long before she hugs me. Softly, she apologizes. She says that it's nothing. Daddy and she weren't really fighting.

* * *

The next night, Daddy is sleeping on the couch. I find him curled up on it, the covers all the way up to his chin. He's sleeping when I approach him. I touch his hair and he smiles, pulling me closer to him. I find my way under the covers, facing him. He's waking up slowly.

"Are you and Mommy divorced?"

He opens his eyes, looking at me with surprise.

"Where have you heard about divorce?" he asks.

He's awake now!

"In kindergarten. Jimmy's parents are divorced. Are you and Mommy divorced?" I repeat again. Divorce sounds bad. It's even more bad than Spidey the spider. I feel like crying.

"Oh… Anna, sweetie. You're mother and I am not going to divorce. I'm just…" he waits a moment, looking around. "I'm just sleeping on the couch. It happened a lot before you were born. Mommy needs a moment alone."

"She pouts a lot."

Daddy is smiling. He kisses my forehead.

"Hmm… yeah, she does. But you know what? I really love your mother even when she pouts."

I didn't know Mommy was standing there, listening until she cleared her throat. She's playing nervously with the top of her pajama.

"Hey," she says, softly, "Are you comfortable on that couch, Larry? And you sweetie?"

"Oh… that's okay," he says.

"That's okay," of course I have to say the same thing.

I know that Daddy's hiding a smile, his face in my hair.

"Maybe you should come back in bed," she proposed. Smiling, she takes a look around. "Before Spidey the spider gets you again…"

I didn't take more to convince us to more. Soon, I'm jumping and screaming. Daddy picks me up on his back to protect me. Mommy is agitated, she's waving her hands. Holding my legs tight, Daddy runs their bedroom, followed by Mommy. She squeals and shuts the door.

"I think we're safe!" she sighs.

Daddy and I jump into bed.

"Yes, we are," Daddy says.

Mommy is smiling. It's like their eyes are speaking. There are no words coming out of their mouths. They're just looking at each other in silence. Mommy slides under the covers. She takes my hand in hers, still looking into Daddy's eyes.

"In two days," she whispers to him.

Daddy smiles back. I can feel my legs becoming very, very weak when he does that smile.

"Should I note it in my agenda, Mrs. Paul?"

Mommy turns her head in the pillow; she flashes him that look I don't get. Adults are strange sometimes.

"I'll let you know."

* * *

Mommy bought me this book. It follows me everywhere now. It's a book with a mommy, a daddy and a baby picture. It says everything about where babies come from. I just can't believe my eyes. This is so strange…

When Mommy gave it to me her cheeks were all red. She said:

"Huh… Anna… You're a big girl right-right now and-and, I think there are some things you should, huh… know and-and your-your father and I thought that I w-would be a good thing for you to know those things be-because you're a big girl and things in life are…"

Daddy interrupted:

"Ally. Just give her the book."

And then the book is here in my hand, it never left me in two weeks. I just love babies. I wonder if the mommies and the daddies are the same. Maybe I should ask!

* * *

I'm in the kitchen, eating my cereal. The cereals are making funny sounds in my mouth. Scrunch… Scrunch… Mommy is getting out of the shower and Daddy is reading the news paper just in front of me.

"Daddy?"

Daddy takes a sip of his coffee.

"Hmm… Yeah, pumpkin?"

"Do you have a penis?"

Daddy is choking his coffee.

"Well…. Yes…. I've got… one…"

"Just one?"

Mommy appears in the kitchen. She is whistling, looking happy. She drops a kiss on my forehead and stops half way. She winks at Daddy but Daddy is frozen in place.

"What were you talking about?" she asks, opening the refrigerator door looking for orange juice.

"Penis," I say.

Mommy starts to laugh. She goes: "Oh… oh…" Daddy is cleaning his glasses. Mommy pours herself some orange juice. I can see her shoulders shaking up and down. She is having fun.

"Jimmy in kindergarten has a penis."

Mommy stops moving, her hand up in the air. Daddy isn't interested in his news paper anymore. He's looking at me, his glasses still between his fingers but his hands frozen solid.

Maybe the word 'penis' is a good way to get the attention of adults. When I'm bored I could go: "Penis! Penis! Penis!"

"How do you-you know that-that Ji-Jimmy has a penis?" Mommy is asking.

Daddy leans closer. He puts his glasses on place, his eyebrows raised.

"I saw it."

"OH MY GOODNESS!" Mommy goes, gasping. "Aaaaaaahhhh!"

Then Daddy grabs my own glasses and starts to clean them on his tie. He does that sometimes when his glasses are clean enough.

"There's a spot right there…" he mumbles, wiping my glasses again and again. "Huh… Sweetie, this Jimmy guy what's his last name again?"

"I don't know."

"And where did he show you his… penis?"

"In his pants."

Another of Mommy's gasps. Daddy is shaking his head.

"Pumpkin, I meant… I wanted to know where you were when he showed you."

"In the bathroom."

That penis thing is big thing. I can see that Daddy and Mommy are nervous. They are forgetting the bread in the toaster. Mommy starts to talk.

"This is normal, Larry. I mean… it was in the bathroom. He had to get it out."

Daddy's jaw is squeezing. He is going to break it.

"I will not let some punk show his penis to MY daughter."

"Larry, the punk is four years old there's nothing to worry about. You're being overprotective. How will it be when she's a teen and goes on dates with guys."

"I won't let that happen," Daddy says with his pigheaded tone.

"Larry, Larry," Mommy says, starting to talk really fast. "She's going to date someday and you'll have to let her be. It's natural, it's human… She-she'll have to deal with a penis at least once in her life."

Daddy's face turns red. He's going to throw his glasses.

"Hello? Hello-o?" I have to say. Sometimes, they forget that I'm sitting with them. They start to talk and I don't understand a thing. The only word I understand is penis… penis… penis.

"Sorry, sweetie," Mommy says.

She sighs and rubs Daddy's back. Soon, the routine goes back to normal. I'm eating my cereals. Scrunch, scrunch, Daddy's reading his news paper and Mommy's eating a muffin.

"Mommy, do you have a vagina?"

* * *

So Mommy has a vagina and Daddy has a penis. They are like Peter and Josie in the book.

They do the THING!

Last night, I tried to rub Barbie and Ken together but nothing happened. There was no baby coming out of Barbie's vagina. I tried to rub a little harder until my fingers where red. It didn't work.

I have to find a way…

* * *

The same night, late, late, late in the middle of the night I sneak out of bed. On the tips of my toes, I walk to my parent's bedroom and glue my ear against the door. It's locked! But I can hear…

"Mhmm… Larry… Mhmm…"

It's the "it tastes delicious" sound.

I start to giggle, a hand on my mouth. That's what Ken and Barbie need. The "Mhm" sound!

There's silence.

"You heard that?" Mommy whispers.

I glue my ear closer. I didn't hear! I hear some footsteps. The door opens. I fall to the floor. Oh-uh.

Daddy is standing there, wearing only a pair of boxers and his glasses. He's fixing them. His hair looks like it was electrocuted.

"What are you doing here?" he asks.

I have to do like Pinocchio. Lie.

"A nightmare."

I sneak my head inside. Mommy's in bed, the covers all up to her chin. She's smiling with all her teeth at me.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" I ask.

"I can tuck you into bed, tell you a story," Daddy proposes, taking a look at Mommy.

"Please, Daddy, please!"

I flash him a big, big smile. He shakes his head and opens the door a little more.

"How can I say no when you're smiling just like your mother," he mumbles.

I follow him to the bed and jump in it. I curl up against Mommy. She's wearing her satin night gown. Barbie got one so maybe it could help. She sighs and kisses my cheek.

"Goodnight Anna."

* * *


End file.
